


Road Runner

by lokidoki9



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-04-18 11:17:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 136,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4704125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokidoki9/pseuds/lokidoki9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after AoU. After the team face Ultron, they begin dealing with the remaining HYDRA facilities. They come across something they did not expect, and gain an interesting new recruit in the process. Pietro/OC. Will lead into Infinity War eventually. And some obvious character plot changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever fanfic! I hope you enjoy it :D

**Hey guys! Ok so this is my first EVER fanfic (so sorry if it’s below par!) I’m a preeeetty big Marvel fan, but that does NOT mean I know heaps and heaps about it. I will make mistakes. I guarantee it. But I’m hoping that it’s not that bad. This fic is based AFTER AoU (Which is great by the way…if you haven’t seen it, then go. NOW!) If you have, then you’ll know that this will stray from the current direction (and character plots…you know what I’m talking about, if you have seen AoU) that the movies are going in _at the moment_. BUT, it will eventually come in to the Infinity War :D (Super-duper excited for that!). Also, I have looked around on the net for info in regards to the infinity stones and their ‘identities’, and I’ve gotten a bunch of different answers:**

**So some say that the orb (the purple stone in the GotG) is the ‘power gem’, while other people say it’s the green stone…so I actually don’t really know. I always thought it was the purple one, but I’m just going to go with what the peeps on the web say, and say it is the green one. So for the sake of this story, it will be GREEN! I’m sorry if this annoys anyone, but oh well… So yeah, that’s pretty much it. I’ll let you know if anything else changes** **J** **Thanks for reading!**

**Oh yeah, and this is a story that will be based on an OC, again, I’m sorry if that’s not your cup of tea! But hopefully ya learn to love her…eventually. Another thing that will be eventual is anything to do with the romance department, I like the realistic sort of stories so that’s not happening for a lil’ while. J.A.R.V.I.S will still be around in this story, I feel like I know him better than F.R.I.D.A.Y.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that is part of the Marvel Universe, that includes movies, comics, books, action figures and the list goes on and on *sigh*. That all belongs to Stan Lee and Joss Whedon etc. this is just being written for fun, and my own amusement, I guess.**

* * *

 

Chapter 1: 

The snow was rapidly falling, and the harsh wind was only making it even harder for the five figures that had wandered out in the middle of a snowstorm. Their dark forms stood out like ink on paper, but were slowly turning white from the recent onslaught of snow. The land itself was elevated, the altitude only adding to the already unbearable cold Russian climate. Nevertheless, they had a job to do, and it was for this reason that they were now clustered together in front of a well-hidden metal doorway.

“Ok team, lets run through this one more time. Nat and Clint?”

“Clear the halls, and deal with the agents.”

“Pietro?”

“Scout ahead.”

“Wanda?”

"Find the source.”

“That leaves me to detain anyone trying to escape, and Stark…Wait a minute, where’s Stark?”

The team of five gave no response, as they looked around confusedly for their sixth member. They received their answer when the familiar metallic form of the Ironman suit shot across the foggy sky of Verkhoyansk, Russia. The small east Russian settlement was one of the coldest places in the world, if the multiple layers of thermal clothing that the team wore were anything to go by. The only one who the chill seemed to have no effect on was Pietro, the elder twin showing no signs of discomfort as the others unknowingly seemed to huddle closer as the freezing breeze grew in strength.

“One step ahead of ya Cap. I’m the eyes and ears from above.” Suppressing an eye roll, the captain gave a nod at his words, even though he knew the billionaire could not see him. 

“Nice of you to join us, Stark.” But before the man in question could reply, he continued addressing the entire group with his pale cheeks flushed from the cold, and his breath coming out in visible puffs. His eyes scanned the people before him, showing that they all had a similar appearance.

“When the area is secure we meet _outside_ the energy radius. I don’t want anyone going anywhere near that door until we’re all there, am I clear?”

His question was met with nods of acquiescence and a general hum of approval from the four team members in front of him. But he knew that they were not his main concern, so he diverted his searching gaze to the cloudy sky, trying to locate a figure in the blur of falling snow. “Stark?”

“Crystal, Captain.” He answered, a slightly mocking tone lacing the words. 

Steve’s eyebrows furrowed, still not entirely convinced but deciding to not waste anymore time debating over the matter. So he just pursed his lips and once again gave an unseen nod.

“Well alright then, let’s do it.”

At his words the group disbanded. The two former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents moving ahead of the female twin, as her brother disappeared within the strong metal doors of one of the last remaining HYDRA testing facilities. The facility itself was underground, with several layers of snow obstructing all signs that there was ever anything there in the first place. But of course, nothing can truly stay hidden from Tony Stark. With the cool metal of her guns clenched in her hands, the fiery haired assassin shot an encouraging smirk to her bow-wielding partner as they too approached the metal doorway. The small, visible surveillance cameras inconspicuously attached to the frame of the doorway were the least of their worries; J.A.R.V.I.S had dealt with them a while ago. Clint knew that he would be the first to enter the facility, he always was, but his mind was at ease knowing that their trusty scout would have alerted them if it were not safe to enter. With that in mind he readied his bow and approached the open doorway from the side, the spider following closely behind him.

Upon entering the building they first noticed the lack of guards, the room that they had walked into was empty, save for some computers that were covered by a heavy layer of dust, and seemed to have not been used in months. Lowering their weapons, the two assassins shared a cautious look. The emptiness and overall abandonment that they were sensing was not sitting well with them.

“There is no one here.” The accented voice from behind them hadn’t needed to ask, so it was more of a statement that anything else. Turing her head to look at the young brunette behind her, Natasha gave a small nod in reply. She couldn’t deny that she was slightly troubled with the new observation. They had been certain that the HYDRA base they were currently in was still active and after the energy readings that they had gathered through one of Tony’s devices, they were sure that this was most likely the last and most powerful remaining energy generating facility that HYDRA had. Natasha was pulled out of her thoughts as a figure approached the new group, and like Clint, she raised her weapons immediately. Recognising the blue blur, the two agents relaxed their shoulders, lowering their weapons in the process.

Pietro was slightly panting as he came to a halt in front of the former agents and his younger sister. His sharp blue eyes had swiftly scoured through the base and hadn’t found a single trace of human life, let alone any sign that the equipment and tech had been used in recent months. Releasing a slow breath, he informed them of this.

“There is nothing.”

 Clint had expected as much, and was hardly surprised by the revelation. “You hearing this, Cap?”

“Yeah I heard him. I just don’t really understand.” 

“There is nothing. No guards, no doctors, no _experiments_ …nothing.” Pietro felt the need to elaborate, and the faces showing the conflicted relief and caution that looked up at him told him he was right in doing so. It was in that moment that the familiar buzz of Tony Stark’s Ironman suit could be heard approaching, before he and the Captain finally made their entrance.

Shaking the snow from his head, Steve’s face was set in determination as he strode into the room. Tony, on the other hand, was surprising everyone with his lack of banter and smartass comments. It was no secret that he was the most sociable in the group, but ever since they had begun researching the energy patterns for this particular facility, he had been unusually quiet and had often been hidden away in his lab working for days on end. What he was working on, they had no idea. But they did know that whatever could not only hold his attention for so long, but silence him completely, was definitely something to worry about. His mask rose revealing his face, as he approached the group from behind the Captain.

“Not nothing. J.A.R.V.I.S is getting readings that are off the charts. Whatever this base was housing, it’s still here.” His words drew everyone’s attention, and though none would admit it, there was a nervousness that had rooted within them. This is what encouraged Steve to try and alleviate the tension, by offering his own explanation.

“Maybe the readings are from whatever generators they have here, I mean they obviously left in a hurry, all of their machinery is still here by the looks of it.”

Clint nodded in support. “Yeah, couldn’t it just be like…left over energy? The tesseract left an energy signature at the base, even after it was taken. Not to mention the scepter…” He trailed off after seeing Tony shaking his head in objection.

“No, whatever this thing is, it is not a generator. The amount of power I’m getting is equal to the tesseract, no generator in the world has that much juice. And as for the energy pattern…readings this high are unstable. Hell, you would know bird-boy, you were there when it tore S.H.I.E.L.D. a new one.” He ignored the glare ‘bird-boy’ threw at him, and walked behind Pietro, towards the door that the silver-haired man had recently come through.

“Unstable? How unstable are we talking Stark?” The Captain’s question stopped Tony right in his tracks, just before he could reach for the metal door handle in front of him. A sombre look flittered across his features as he kept his back to the group, who where now staring at his retreating form expectantly.

“Unstable enough to evacuate the biggest base HYDRA has ever had…permanently.” With that said, he threw the door open and began his search, with the team slowly following behind him. 

* * *

 

**Okaaay…so first chapter is done. Kinda boring, I know, but it was necessary. We meet the OC soon, and I know there is not too much character interaction this time ‘round but that will increase as the story settles. Let me know what you think, or if you have any ideas you really want to come into play :) Bye guys!**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Tony went ahead leading the way, with the team following closely behind him observing every detail of the dark hallways. The small touch screen located on the inside of his suit’s right arm displayed a map covering all floor plans of the underground base. Underneath the map was a scale, the green bar growing or shrinking depending on the energy output readings obtained. For the past half hour the low readings had been quite discouraging for the group, the lack of results was gnawing at their patience, and the overpowering silence was only making time move a hell of a lot slower in Clint’s opinion.

The slow pace of their progress was particularly taxing for Pietro, the young Sokovian barely resisting the urge of shooting forward and finding this source on his own. But the last time he had taken matters into his own hands had flashed through his mind, and he involuntarily ran a gloved hand over the constant reminders that littered his torso. He had come so close. So close to losing himself, so close to losing his sister…so close to breaking his promise.

How could he keep her safe, when he couldn’t even protect himself? He threaded a hand through his silver hair, releasing a silent sigh in the process. Though he constantly told himself not to dwell on the past, the events in Sokovia would be permanently etched into his mind. How could they not be?

He had felt the cold fingertips of death reaching and clawing for him, urging him to forget this world and the life within it. He almost relented. The sheer pain that he was subjected to intensified with each bullet, much like the blood that had drained from each hole created. He had quickly given in to the darkness of unconsciousness, he may have been enhanced but he was still very much human. But he would never allow himself to fall into the abyss that was death, not while his sister still lived to feel the pain that would surely follow from such an occurrence.

Naturally he could not remember the panic and chaos that had erupted around him when he was gunned down, only small snippets here and there from when he was hauled into the infirmary of the hellicarrier before once again falling unconscious prior to surgery. Of course his enhancement had done well to aid the healing process, it was one of the only times he was grateful for the torturous procedures he had to endure in his time with HYDRA. Fortunately he was unaware of all that had occurred after his assumed death, hearing the anguish in his sister’s screams would have no doubt broken his heart. Pietro would rather replay the events in Sokovia a thousand times over, than ever see his sister in pain. He was taken out of his thoughts by a rapid beeping coming from his left.

“Gotcha.”

All heads turned to face Tony as he indicated that they had _finally_ found the room that they were looking for, by approaching what appeared to be a heavy set of… _vibranium_ doors?

“Stark?”

“Looks like we hit the jackpot Cap. Would you like to do the honors?” he motioned a metallic hand to the doorway, as if encouraging the Captain to do as he was told.

Steve gave Tony an unsure look, but approached the doors nonetheless, cautiously running a hand over the cool metal surface when he came to a halt in front of it. It was only then that he noticed the small box attached to the wall beside it, and turned his attention to inspecting it and the small screen it held. Tapping a green button on the side of the box, he flinched in surprise as, what he could only guess was some sort of ocular device, shot out scanning the retina presented to it. He stood stock still as the scan was completed, only to have the predicted words of ‘ACCESS DENIED’ presented across the small screen. His pale lips pulled down in a frown as he stared at the screen before him, before turning around to face Tony once again.

“What now? I mean, I think we already knew that I’d be the last person that HYDRA would have on file to access their weapons vault. Plan B?”

Clint gave a small snort at his comment, as he too waited for Stark to open the door. The man excelled in anything even remotely related to technology, it was safe to say that everyone in the dark hallway knew he could hack into the system and grant them access to whatever lay behind the door. Nevertheless, Tony gave them his most innocent look as he raised a metal-clad shoulder in a small shrug.

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out, I mean…you are the guy who they pumped full of super-soldier serum, right? You would think that super strength would be part of the packa-”

Before he could even finish his sentence the door flew off of its hinges with a resounding bang. The red wisps of power that had blown it from its frame brought the doors to a halt before they could fly any further. The sudden impact unsettling the dust inside the newly opened room, as could be seen by the cloud that had drifted amongst the team. All eyes turned to Wanda Maximoff, who slowly lowered her previously raised hand.

The red tendrils of power slowly fading from both her hands and her eyes, as she looked to her smirking brother with a small smile on her face. The elder twin shook his head at his sister’s display, secretly glad that she was becoming more comfortable in the presence of others.

Tony, who had begun coughing as soon as the dust had reached him, raised his eyebrows at the display. “Well that’s one way to do it.” He released a chuckle as he looked to the Captain. “Getting shown up by a little girl, Cap…You’re losing your touch old-timer”.

Steve sent him a half-hearted glare, as he patted the dust from his hair. Once the humor of the situation had died down, a strained silence settled over the group as they suddenly became aware of what they had just done. The door was now open, and yet no one knew what to expect upon entering the room. Their hesitation was expected. Whatever it was that was emitting enough energy to rival the tesseract, was currently within their grasp, but there was no guarantee that it was stable enough to approach.

In the end it was Natasha that cautiously stepped forward. Green eyes hidden behind squinted eyelids, as she attempted to see through the haze created by the dust, one hand instinctually placed on the firearm strapped to her thigh. The only source of light came from directly ahead, at least a hundred metres front the entrance a large lamp highlighted something she couldn’t quite make out yet. From what she could see, the room was large…massive.

The small blinking lights that were constantly flashing emphasized just how much tech equipment was present in the room. _Even Stark’s lab doesn’t have this much junk._ The quiet hum of machinery was the only thing that could be heard, besides her own haggard breathing. She hadn’t even noticed how stiff her posture had become, nor had she realized that for the first time in a long time, she actually felt an inkling of fear.

She continued walking towards the light, bypassing the newly broken door on her way. Her quiet steps displaying her caution as her gaze observed as much as the darkness would allow. After what felt like an eternity, she reached a slightly elevated platform. The bright lamp above it shone down like sunlight would through clouds, illuminating the object she couldn’t identify from the entrance. It appeared to be a large table, holding up a rectangular dome. Natasha reluctantly stretched out her hand and slowly placed it on the dome until her palm was flat against it.

She recognised the metal, it was the same as the one that lined the door: vibranium. Several panels of the metal had been drawn together to give the dome its shape; she noticed that each panel could most likely be retracted, as they appeared to have come out from individual gaps in the table below. Growing in confidence, she moved closer to the structure to study the abundance of wires that were connected through only one of the panels, and seemed to travel straight through it. Her eyes followed the cords, seeing several attached to some machinery, but what had really peaked her curiosity were the ones that led to some sort of aqueous solution. But before she could investigate further, a loud shout was heard from the entrance of the room.

“So, is the area secure…or what? I mean don’t get me wrong, I love standing around in dusty old hallways as much as the next guy, but I have a dinner date at 8 that I just can’t get out of.” In all honesty, Natasha had completely forgotten that the others were even there, and after hearing Tony’s voice tear through the silence, she couldn’t suppress the following eye-roll as she inched away from her new discovery.

“As far as I can tell it should be safe, come on in”. At her words four of the remaining team members filtered through the doorway, her eyes furrowed in confusion and she thanked her lucky stars for not flinching when she turned her head to see Pietro already beside her.

Tony paused to inspect the vibranium doors that had been removed. He couldn’t quite wrap his head around how the younger Maximoff managed to break the strongest metal in the world. Needless to say, he soon found his answer.

“Pfft…steel hinges? Amateurs…” Shaking his head in disapproval, he made his way to the platform where the group now stood, waiting for him.

“This is what we have searched for, no?” the accented voice of the elder Maximoff asked the question that everyone had on their mind. His blue eyes had snapped to Natasha, who in turn looked to Tony.

“J.A.R.V.I.S activate our trusty energy production meter.” 

“ _Right away, sir_.”

The compartment on his right arm opened, and the small touch screen was once again visible. No one had expected the frenzied beeps that had been released once the device had been activated, nor had they anticipated the shattering of the screen that came almost instantly. The bewildered gazes of all, but Tony Stark, were trained on the now -smoking- device. It was Clint who voiced what was on everyone’s mind in that moment.

“What the hell was that, Tony?”

“Bummer, I thought that might happen. Too much energy available…” his sentence trailed off in a sigh as he barged through the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in front of him, and made his way to the dome that had previously held Natasha’s attention.

“More vibranium? What, are they farming the stuff? Is there some sort of industry I don’t know about?” His questions went unanswered as the group huddled around the table.

“What is this thing?” this time it was the Captain who was curious, but yet again, no one seemed to have an answer.

“I can’t exactly answer that captain, but I think the panels can be lowered somehow. I just hope that whatever’s under there won’t kill us.” The redhead met Steve’s concerned gaze, before they both noticed Tony, who had begun tinkering with the machines that were connected to the dome.

“Uh, Stark…do you even know what you’re doing?” The man in question turned to face Natasha with an expression that clearly said ‘really?’ before returning to his tinkering once again. “Yeah, good point.”

The twins, who had been relatively quiet throughout the mission, had moved even closer to the table in their curiosity. Pietro had always been impulsive, so when he came across something new his interest would automatically be peaked. Wanda on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She was cautious, and had gained both patience and wisdom with her power. She could feel the curiosity flowing off of each individual in the room, but she also felt a slight concern when she realized that her own power could not penetrate the power surrounding the dome. A loud hiss came from the dome, signaling Tony’s success and gaining everyone’s attention as the panels slowly lowered into the table, one by one. A shocked gasp left the young Sokovian’s mouth, each expression around the room showing the same emotion as they took in the sight before them.

Tony was speechless. I didn’t happen very often, but this was definitely one of those times. There was a human body lying on the tabletop. And while the entirely obvious feminine curves covered in white long sleeved clothing gave away the gender of said human, their entire head was hidden beneath the only panel that hadn’t been lowered with the others. Wires were connected to the ‘helmet’ and some sort of fluid, _saline solution?_ Was being delivered through several tubes that had been injected into the woman’s forearm. Tony couldn’t understand how someone could have survived so long without even eating a single meal, and yet alone still look healthy!

But he reminded himself that they did not know this stranger, and they also didn’t know whether or not they were entirely safe in the situation that they had found themselves in. He figured their best bet would be to get the Maximoff girl to get a reading on their new discovery.

“Well, that was unexpected.” The rest of the team snapped out of their daze as Tony broke the silence. “Ok, so I say Wanda Woman over here does her psychic mumbo-jumbo and tells us if we just made a huge mistake. All in favour?” he raised his hand during his last comment, glancing around at each member with a sardonic smile. But Pietro had other plans as he stepped forward, his eyes hard.

“No. You said it yourself, this is beyond our power. She will not do it.”

“Brother-”

“Look kid, I get that you want to look out for your sister, I do. But this could be a pretty huge problem, not just for us-”

“I said she will not-”

“PIETRO!” Wanda rarely raised her voice at others, and she _never_ raised it at her own brother. But she couldn’t help but agree with Tony. This _was_ bigger than them, and if her discomfort was the price to pay for invaluable information, then she would gladly pay it. Composing herself once more, she continued. “I will do it-”

“Wanda-”

“No brother.” She said sternly, completely ignoring the pleading look he was sending her way. “I will do it, but you must remove the metal. I cannot see her mind.” Tony gave her a nod, and once again retreated to the machinery behind him to tinker with the equipment. This time he was much quicker, and the whole team watched as the mask lifted, revealing the pale features of a soft, but sickly looking face.

The young woman’s long, dark brown hair was slightly disheveled and a wire was stuck to each of her temples, she would have been a decent looking girl had she not looked half dead. The team held their breath as Wanda slowly stepped forward and leaned closer to the girl. Her hands didn’t shake as she hesitantly removed the patched from each temple, but she did release a heavy sigh of relief when there was no change in the girl’s demeanor.

Raising her right hand, Wanda began weaving her web of power, the red tendrils slowly drifting towards the girl’s face. It seemed to seep into her skin, and pass through into her skull, but what remained unseen to the team was the similar green haze that had already surrounded her brain. The girl’s eyes shot open as soon as red met green, but this went unnoticed as all eyes in the room were witnessing the red wisps of Wanda’s power rapidly being overrun by it’s green counterpart. The process was so rapid that they hadn’t entirely registered it latching onto Wanda’s own mind, until they heard the pained shriek that followed, as the green jolt hurled her across the room.

Pietro was immediately by his sister’s side, followed by the rest of the team, as she wailed and clutched her head in pain. She was wrong, it was not discomfort. It felt like every last cells was being torn apart by the immense power that had just entered her mind. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t even breathe, there was no reprieve to the pain she was being subjected to, and the worst part was that she knew this was only a fraction of the power that this girl’s mind possessed.

Pietro was screaming. He was calling for his sister, trying to ease her suffering and push the pain from her mind. It had all happened so quickly, they were not prepared for what had occurred. He was going to kill Stark for suggesting this ridiculous idea to begin with, but he knew that there was no way of stopping his sister once her mind was made up. Still, he could not deal with the guilt that had quickly rooted within him.

He promised to protect her, to keep her safe, and hearing her anguished screams as she had been flung at least twenty metres off of the platform, had brought tears to his stormy eyes. He tried to think, they all did, of something to make it stop. But they didn’t have to. Suddenly Wanda opened her eyes, an unfamiliar green fading from them. That was strange, he had only ever seen her eyes glow red, but he would be sure to ask her about it when she felt better. Her chest was heaving, trying desperately to gain as much air as possible. She felt nothing now, the pain was gone and she opened her eyes to see the panic-stricken faces of the Avengers, as her brother cradled her head in his arms. It was Clint that finally spoke up.

“You alright, kid?”

She gave a tired nod in reply and a reassuring smile to her brother, who was staring at her intensely with unshed tears accumulated in his eyes. “Yes, I am fine now.” They slightly relaxed at her words, only to once again tense when she continued.

“But we have another problem to worry about now.”

“Yeah? What should I add to the list?” asked Tony. But strangely enough it was Natasha that had answered, and it was only then that they realized she had walked back onto the platform.

“One human tesseract, _lost."_

As they each turned to look at the tabletop, they were bewildered to find only a pile of wires and tube where the girl once laid. More importantly, not a single trace of where she had disappeared to remained.

“You know, I’m really starting to consider retirement.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

She was running. She hadn’t meant to do it, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone…other than those that had been poking and prodding at her mind for months. But the moment that the confusion that came with awaking had evaporated, it was clear to her that these unusually dressed strangers were definitely unlike the ones she had met over the previous…months? years? How long had it been? She couldn’t remember, but she cared little for it anyway, time was lost and that was the main thing. 

She knew that they would be after her now, if not for detainment, then for simple curiosity. Although she wouldn’t blame them for being mad at the way she  _introduced_  herself, she wouldn’t think it was fair unless they allowed her to explain her actions before labelling her as a threat. They had to understand, her mind had been targeted since day one. The ‘doctors’ would come through those metal doors at the crack of dawn, try anything and everything to penetrate the energy surrounding her mind, and then leave late in the night.

Over and over and over again, her defences had become instinct, she no longer needed to focus, it would deal with the threat itself. She didn’t mean to hurt the girl, but the familiar push on the barrier of her mind had triggered her defence mechanism, and once she realised that she was not actually being threatened, it was too late. So she withdrew the green power from the girl’s mind, and ran as her friends tended to her. 

Honestly, she hadn’t actual thought she would escape unscathed, yet alone unseen, but she was both grateful and regretful for the distraction that had been present. Her current problem was navigating the maze like hallways of the dark building. She couldn’t see where she was going, but she knew that if she used her energy to power the lights, she would be a hell of a lot easier to find. But her options were limited and if she didn’t find a way out quickly, she had no doubt that she would be captured. She was outnumbered after all. 

Clenching her fists by her side as she ceased running, she released a wave of energy across the floor. She hadn’t given much thought to the repercussions of exerting too much power, so she hastily absorbed as much as she could when the first few lights shattered from their output. Needless to say, the entire level would be illuminated for a while, so she needed to keep moving. Looking back over her shoulder to the direction she had come from, she made sure there was no one on her tail before urging her (thankfully) sneaker-clad feet forward once again.

———————————

In the lab, the team had sprung into action. Finding the missing woman had become their main priority, ensuring that she knew they were not a threat came in second. Having witnessed the ease at which their strongest mind was undone, had left them a little nervous. They didn’t know how or why it had happened, but they did know that until they could classify the girl as an ally, she would be considered threat to all. 

“Alright, obviously we’re up against something a little stronger than your common street thug. I hate to say it, but if we’re going to have any chance at finding her we need to split up.” The team gave a series of uneasy nods at the captain’s words, none of them quite liking the implications, but each of them knowing that this was the only way.

“How are we going to do this Cap? Twelve floors is a lot of ground to cover, it’ll take hours.” but the redhead’s concern was quickly alleviated.

“Not if you move fast enough.” the statement had come from her right, where Pietro now stood with his arms crossed and an agitated expression marring his handsome features. There was no doubt that he was still in a foul mood after witnessing the harming of his sister. This had definitely been noticed by those around him, and they hoped that he wouldn’t let his emotions get the best of him. Clint and Natasha, who had been thinking that very thought, subtly shared an uncertain look after he had spoken. 

“Exactly. Pietro can you take the first six floors? We can handle the rest.” Not waiting for an answer, he continued handing out orders to his team members, his gaze shifting between them as he spoke. “Tony, you stay down here, I’m willing to bet that she doesn’t know this place as well as we do which means she might still be on this floor.”

“Why do I always get stuck with the creepy basement?”

“Because it’s the darkest floor, and you’re the only one with a light source.”

“Right. I guess that was kind of obvious, huh?” There was little room for humour, so no one bothered answering, choosing to pay close attention to their assignment instead. 

“Wanda, you get the 7th. Nat, you’re on the 8th. Clint, 9th. I’ll meet up with Tony once the 10th is secured, and we can do the 11th together. Sound good?” His last few words were directed to Tony, from which he received a nonchalant shrug. “You all have your comms, if anyone finds her, call it in."

Four nods of approval and one ‘let’s get this show on the road!’ later, they all gave each other final words of encouragement before walking out of the lab and disbanding. They hadn’t even taken two steps from the doorway before the dark halls surrounding them were flooded with light. The brightness was so unbearable, that all except Tony (whose mask had snapped shut immediately) had crouched and protectively wrapped their arms around their heads, as the glass from the shattering bulbs rained down from the ceiling. They kept their eyes clamped shut until the light behind their eyelids seemed to lessen in intensity. The hallway was now littered with glass, but it was also no longer bathed in darkness, as the remaining bulbs did their job to keep it at bay.

Pietro’s jaw clenched and unclenched in anger. Although the panic was fading from his sister’s eyes, he hated knowing that this stranger had struck enough pain into Wanda to gain her fear. This thought was all the encouragement he needed to begin his search. He shot forward like a bat out of hell, only giving his sister a small glance as he set off to find her attacker. He barely heard Steve’s shout of warning before he rounded a corner and left their view entirely. Moving from room to room, dust and paper fluttered up into the air, his speed unsettling both, and he was gone long before either had the chance to reach the floor.

———————————

She had heard the loud shout of ‘Be careful!’ that had echoed throughout the cold metal hallways. They were far, but not far enough for her liking. The situation had obviously become a game of cat and mouse, only there were six cats…and just one mouse.

She knew that she had to keep moving, wherever she was being kept was clearly underground judging by the lack of windows. Each hallway was the same in appearance, making navigating through them a lot harder than it needed to be. Cold, silver metal walls, lined with numerous doors that led to god only knows what.

She came to an intersection, looking right first, and noticing that the path only carried on for about fifty metres before coming to a dead end.  _Left it is then_. Continuing with her run, she came to a screeching halt just before bursting into another intersection, at the same moment that small ‘ding’ sounded from her right. Taking cover behind the corner after glimpsing a blue blur passing through the, now open, elevator doors. She hadn’t heard any movement, indicating that the blur, and the elevator were both stationary.

Deeming her vantage point sufficiently concealed, she slowly and noiselessly crouched down and peered around the corner. About twenty metres down the hall, a single pale hand was leaning on the door preventing it from closing. The stormy blue eyes that were narrowed beneath dark brows, scanned the surrounding area. The bottom half of his broad frame was in the device, while his top half was alert and leaning out of it. She knew that he must have heard her, and held her breath as she mentally willed him to ignore his instincts and pass it off as paranoia instead. The stranger’s shoulders dropped in a mix between disappointment and relief as he released the doors, giving the hall a final once-over before stepping further into the elevator.

Her eyes closed and her head rolled back in relief, giving a slight ’thump’ when it hit the wall behind her. She slid down against the cool metal, stretching her legs out before her and enjoying the feel of the cold surfaces soothing her warm skin. She took the moment to steady her breathing rate.

That was close, she had almost been found, but she was eager to know how the young man had been able to reach the elevator before her, and without even breaking a sweat! She recognised him as one of the men in the lab. He was the one that was trying to help the girl…Wanda, was what he had called her. He had cradled her head while her own hands where clamping it tightly, in an ill-attempt to lessen the pain.

Ah, there was that rare feeling bubbling to the surface again… _guilt_. Shaking the unwelcome feeling from her mind, she thought back to the task at hand. She was currently wasting time, if she was ever going to get out, she would have to find a way to get above grou-the ELEVATOR!   

“Idiot, idiot, idiot!” she quietly chided herself, and it was only then that she realised just how coarse her voice was and tried to clear her throat. Hauling herself up from the ground, she dusted off her pants and poked her around the corner, turning it right and then left to check for any unwanted company before making a dash for the elevator.

She hit the small ‘down’ button and impatiently waited while the red numbers above the door counted down to her floor. The same ‘ding’ that had been released earlier was heard once again, and she hastily stepped into the expansive device. She wasn’t too surprised to notice that she had been kept on the lowest level, and hit the ‘E’ button that she assumed was for the above ground level.  

She was grateful for the short reprieve that the elevator ride would offer, but all signs of relief soon made way for panic, when she realised that not only would the red numbers notify the strangers of the elevator’s movement, but she genuinely had no idea what to expect when the doors finally opened. It had been easy to deduce that the base had been abandoned for a long while, but that just makes the sudden appearance of the strangers even more confusing. She felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her as the elevator approached its final stop.

Holding her breath had clearly become a recent habit, as she once again found herself doing just that. With the usual ‘ding’, the doors opened and her eyes quickly assessed her new surroundings. There was no one there, and the room itself was quite small compared to the others she had seen. Taking a shaky step forward, she finally exited the elevator compartment and entered the room. It was fairly empty, besides a few tables that had created a sort of aisle towards the opposite side of the room. And pointed to a door. An open door. That led to the outside.

Her eyes widened and a small grin worked itself onto her face, as she realised how close she was to her freedom. A gust of wind had blown through the door, and even though she had an unnaturally high basal body temperature because of her... _gift_ , she knew she would freeze within minutes of exiting the building. But it was a risk she was willing to take, if it meant finally escaping the hell she had been bound to for…well, she didn’t actually know how long she had been there.

Having made up her mind, she strode forward, her white sneakers moving noiselessly across the stone floors and the howling of the wind only grew in volume as she came closer. 

The blue flash that had collided with her shoulder had caught her off guard, and she was sent flying five or so metres backwards from the exit. She landed on her back with a hard ‘thud’, trying to come to terms with what had just happened.  _Was that a force field? How did I not feel it?_  

She slowly rolled onto her stomach, rising to her knees, before pushing off the ground to stand once again. Her balance was off from the impact, the slight swaying was evidence of that. She shook her head in an attempt to banish the multiple copies of the room, and was satisfied when they all merged into one. However her satisfaction was short-lived and her senses heightened as she remembered the situation she was now in.

The room still appeared to be empty, but she allowed her power to resurface, and she felt the presence of foreign energy floating in the room. Someone else was present, this much she knew, for all cells made energy and all energy answered to her. It was only then that she recalled seeing the same blue blur that had targeted her, entering the elevator. _That’s how he got there first._  He had found her. 

“Neat trick, why don’t you come out and I’ll show you mine.” It was the first sentence she had spoken for a long time, and although it still had a roughness to it from its lack of use, her voice sounded significantly better than it had earlier. She gave a small smirk when she received no reply. If there was one thing that she had been taught in this life, it was that she should fight back when attacked, but never initiate a fight herself.

Sighing in impatience, she decided to acknowledge the stranger again as her eyes scanned the room…again. “Look, I’m not going to hurt you. I just…I just want to get out of here ok? So can you just come out and maybe we-” she stopped her speech when a man suddenly appeared before her, and was surprised that she hadn’t flinched at his movement. He stood about a metre away, positioned between her and the exit door, with strong arms folded across his defined chest. He was a good-looking guy, she wouldn’t deny it, even if his hair couldn’t decide if it was silver or brown.

She recalled all that had transpired since she had awoken, and realised that maybe they had gotten off on the wrong foot. _I should probably do something about that_. “Hi.” 

_Excellent start._  The only response he gave her was a blank face, and an elevated eyebrow.

“Well, it was nice to meet you but I really should be going now.” She had been inching closer to the doorway as she spoke, and actually believed he would let her leave. Until she felt herself being spun around as if someone had gripped her shoulder and pulled her back. The action caused her to stumble backwards once again, and she clenched her teeth together in anger.

“Ok hot stuff, you do that one more time and the next mind I fry will be yours.” The words had come out on their own, and she knew that bringing up what happened in the lab was a bad idea, as his passive expression warped into one of barely concealed rage. But this was _good_ , people made mistakes when they were angry, and she knew that there would only be one way out of her current predicament.

“What’s wrong? Did I hit nerve?”

“I never usually hit girls, but for you…I make an exception.” Pietro had never been like his sister. In a situation like this Wanda would have kept her cool, and dealt with the situation diplomatically. He was always told that his impulsiveness would get him in trouble one day, and it already had in Sokovia. For some reason, as soon as the brunette in front of him alluded to what had transpired with his sister, all common sense went out the window and he completely forgot who he was up against when he made his attack.

Predictable. He was a hot-head, that much was clear. Despite the super-human speed with which it was carried out, the lunge that he had aimed at her seemed to move in slow motion as green invaded her brown eyes and the matching shield of energy was hurled against his body before he could reach her.

The minuscule amount of energy she had used had sent him crashing into the concrete wall beside the door he was guarding. The impact had hurt him, it would have hurt anyone, but despite this his rose to his feet once more with determination. The girl cocked her head to the side as she regarded him.

“What is that? Russian?” The accent that had coated his words was easily recognised, but she hadn’t dwelled on it for long. Her main concern was why he was doing this? He knew he couldn’t match her power, so why did he insist on trying to detain her? Her thoughts seemed to have distracted her for too long, because the next thing she felt was her head snapping to the side as she staggered back before falling to the ground from the contact.  _Did he just punch me? He really wasn’t kidding, huh?_  

She rubbed her jaw and hadn’t even bothered standing, choosing instead to hurl a blast at him straight away, his body twisting as he too hit the ground. They stood simultaneously, angry brown eyes meeting determined blue ones, and they both prepared for their next attack, until they heard a small cough. Both sets of eyes widened and snapped to the source. During their little scuffle, they had failed to notice the movement of the elevator and the five new additions that had witnessed the small contest play out. Tony had decided to intervene before the girl decided to  _really_  use her power. He was glad that she hadn’t, it meant that she genuinely hadn’t wanted to harm the elder Maximoff twin, and that was a huge relief for all of them.

“Oh, don’t mind us, we’re just here for the show.” Tony’s comment served its purpose in removing that ‘deer-caught-in-headlights’ look from their faces. Pietro seemed to relax, while the girl tensed more than Tony thought was physically possible.

“What took you so long? I sent that message half an hour ago, Stark.” Pietro’s grumbled words had brought a smug smile to Tony’s face, the billionaire was glad that he finally had some sense beat into him. Tony knew he was a good kid, but he had a knack for over-estimating his abilities. 

“Yeah, well at least you handled it, good job Speedy Gonzales.” 

“Ma’am? My name is Steve Rogers, I understand that you’re probably confused, but I’m going to have to ask you stand down.” Steve had taken notice of the dangerous expression that had made its way onto the woman’s face, and barged past Tony slowly in order to reach her. The brown of her eyes was still overcome by the bright green as she turned to look at him when he addressed her.

_Steve Rogers? Captain America, Steve Roger?_ Now she was definitely confused. One thing she knew for sure, was that there was no way she was going to be an experiment ever again, and she made this very clear when she refused to give in to his request. A faint green glow was accumulating around her hands, and she saw all eyes flicker down to witness the occurrence.

Despite his growing concern, Steve decided to speak once more in an attempt to get through to the girl.  “Look kid, you can either come with us as a guest or a prisoner, the choice is yours. Don’t do anything rash, you’re outnumbered.”

“And you’re outmatched Captain.” Her words had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. And a thread of fear weaved its way around the team as they watched the energy grow around her hands.

“But…like I told your friend over there,” she motioned a hand towards Pietro. “I have no intention of hurting anyone, I just want to get out of here.” As she finished her sentence, she reabsorbed the energy, and the group watched as her eyes and hands regained their original pigment. The tension that had fallen over them had evaporated at her words, but caution was still apparent…after all, they still didn’t know whether she could be trusted.

Steve gave her a charming smile as he moved even closer towards her. “Well we can definitely help you there, if you’re willing to give team work a shot.” He extended his hand in a formal greeting. She looked at it for a second, before scanning each of the other faces in the room.

A redhead with a dangerous vibe to her, gave her a small smile when their eyes met. The man beside her had the same vibe, only slightly  _warmer_ …in a weird sort of way. He had a bow in his hand and a quiver strapped to his back and she caught the small nod he gave her. Of course she knew who the Ironman was. Who didn’t? Tony Stark had always been one of her favourite inventors. The man really knew how to harness energy, and even if she didn’t approve of his arrogance, his knowledge was definitely something she could respect. 

Next was the girl. _Wanda_. Strangely enough, the brunette gave her a dazzling smile, as if they were long lost friends, reunited. Wanda was the only one who had received a response, the small apologetic smile that was sent her way did not go unnoticed by the rest of the team, even Pietro had seen it. The message was clear, and it gave them no doubt that the attack on their youngest member was indeed an accident. The last member she looked at was Pietro. He rolled his eyes at her half-hearted glare, and she almost felt her lips twitch up into a smirk.

“Ashley Conlon.” And with that she looked back to the captain, and took the hand offered. 


	4. Chapter 4

She couldn't recall falling asleep. In fact, she couldn't recall much of anything. Upon opening her eyes and blinking away the blurriness, Ashley even felt a moment of panic set in as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings she was currently in. The metal walls weren't the ones she was used to, and the bed she was laying on was softer than she remembered. Then the flood gates opened, and the past day's events came crashing down hard. She had woken from her…nap? coma? whatever. She was awake now. It was difficult to believe she had even fallen asleep in the first place, considering it was the only thing she had done for the past three years. Yes…three years, she had finally found out how long it had been after asking Tony what year it was. After three years of sleeping, she had awoken to accidentally attack one of her  _saviours_ , and then got into a scrap with another before begrudgingly agreeing to leave with the unusual team that had found her.

_What were their names again?_  She had never been good with names, but she racked her brain for them anyway. The girl was definitely Wanda, she doubted that it was a name she would ever forget, as she was the only one that seemed to have some sort of trust in her. That in itself was strange. Why would the only one that had been in any serious pain be the only one to like, and even  _trust_  her? Ashley knew that if it were the other way around, she would have blown the girl sky high by now! But the girl was the least of her worries, her brother on the other hand, was definitely not a fan of hers. _Pietro…ugh! Bundle of joy, that one_. After they locked horns and she had made the decision to leave with the group, he had avoided her like the plague and urged Wanda to do the same. By the odd chance that he was ever forced to acknowledge her for whatever reason, he did so with obvious dislike.

Ashley didn't care. People had always annoyed her in the past, why should that change now? She wasn't anti-social, definitely not. But she had never quite been able to understand the minds of others. Sure, she was good at reading people and wasn't stupid by any means, but there seemed to be a limited amount of common sense in the world and an abundance of people to share it between. It was for this reason that she refused to care about what people thought of her, and she couldn't deny that the presence of her power was another reason. The slight arrogance it gave her may not have been her best quality, but she enjoyed the feeling of power, to know that others couldn't compare was fulfilling. All of your life you are told that everyone is different, that the differences make you unique. Well sure, that's true…and you could believe it. But you just know that their is someone like you out there, someone with the same quality that makes you 'unique'. However, the same couldn't be said for her. There was no one that could do what she could do, she knew that, and that was the beauty of her power.

Who else? Ah yes, Tony Stark and Captain America. She knew the Ironman, she was awake when he had made his announcement to the world on live television. The fact that he had opted out of taking anymore military contracts was admirable in Ashley's opinion, it presented him in a different light. The man that was constantly in the tabloids for his latest social conquests and newest business acquisitions, wasn't real. That man cared for fame and money, as most people do. So when he tore Stark Industries from the weapons manufacturing field (the field he had created his fortune in), his company's worth may have slightly dropped, but his value as a human had skyrocketed in Ashley's mind. He had also seemed to take a liking to her, and had been the one that spoke to her the most.

Captain America still slightly confused her. Of course she had heard of him, most people knew the story. The man who sacrificed himself for the greater good, right? So how in the hell was he still alive and kicking? Not to mention he still looked like a man in his twenties, rather than a man _born_  around the twenties! She would have to politely ask him about that later.

Then there was the redhead, and her bow-wielding buddy. _Damn, what was it? Cat and Nick?_  No, that didn't sound right at all. After a few more minutes of contemplating it, she gave a small shrug and mentally noted to keep an ear out for their names again. They had seemed nice enough, they even did well to hide their mistrust, but the small cautious glances that they threw her way constantly weren't as subtle as they believed them to be.

After she had agreed to join them, the archer had given her the spare thermal jacket he had been wearing, and had brushed off her objection, insisting that he would survive the short distance to the jet. Ah yes, the jet. She grinned at the memory. The jet she was currently sitting in was without doubt the most amazing creation she had ever seen, she knew she was gaping in awe as soon as it came into view. She also knew that Stark had felt a swell of pride at her praises, no matter how hard he had tried to downplay the comments. After they boarded the aircraft, she felt an immense relief when she noticed the warmth of air-conditioning seeping into her chilled skin. Although she usually preferred the colder climates, this place was just plain ridiculous! Who  _willingly_  chooses to live in places like this? She shook her head in bewilderment, returning to her memories.

They had told her to rest up, she snickered, as if she hadn't done enough of that in the past three years. But nevertheless, she knew that they would want to begin questioning her about her past and life story as soon as possible, so she agreed in order to prolong that time. Despite the fact that they had been the ones to initiate her escape from the HYDRA base, she would be a fool to trust them immediately. First of all, what were they even doing there? How did they find her? And why would they help her in the first place? judging by the amount of questions forming in her mind, she would be interrogating them, not the other way around. The thought made her smile and she-

"Do you always smile and laugh at walls, or is it a habit you picked up with HYDRA?"

She knew that voice, so she didn't even bother glancing at the man who had been watching her as soon as she woke up. It was only then that she realised how strange she must have looked to him. Ashley had been unknowingly staring at the metal wall opposite her ever since she woke up, but as each memory had fluttered by, she hadn't even noticed it.

"I guess it's a gift I must have picked up. I think you got the better deal though."

Pietro's eyes narrowed in suspicion, he couldn't recall anyone discussing his time with HYDRA with the girl in front of him. It was a sore subject for him, for his sister too, they weren't proud of what they had done for HYDRA nor did they particularly enjoy being experiments. So his dislike for this new addition only grew when she made an obvious jab at the power they had given him. He desperately wanted to play it off as if he didn't care, but his mouth betrayed him and he inwardly cursed as he saw the small smirk tug at her lips.

"How do you know about that?"

"Haven't you heard? The walls have ears," She rose from her seat and strode towards the small doorframe which he had been leaning on, arms crossed, since she had awoken. His eyes bore into her own as she approached him, and he angled his shoulder back to allow her to pass through the frame without obstruction. Thinking the conversation was over, she caught him off guard when she stopped to stand in the doorway with him with all signs of humour banished from her face. She wasn't even trying to intimidate him, she was only about four inches shorter than him, but he felt uneasy as her knowing eyes studied his face curiously before she continued in a whisper.

"There's no telling what you'll learn, if you just take a little time to listen." His brows furrowed as he watched her slip past him and move towards the rest of the team. She was definitely a strange one.

—

"Any luck?"

"Yeah…no I got nothing."

As soon as he entered the aircraft, Tony had told J.A.R.V.I.S to search for any information pertaining to their most recent addition. Once they had sent Ashley to the back to rest, the team had gathered and decided that finding as much information on her as possible was most likely a good idea. It had been seven hours, and every search that Tony had the AI run only came back negative. No birth certificate, no school or college applications, no job, no healthcare record, not even a speeding ticket…Hell, her damn name wasn't even in the system, well at least no one matching her appearance. All of this just annoyed Tony, and when the Captain decided to check on his progress.  **Every. Two. Minutes.**  He thought he might blow a fuse. It just made no sense, how could a girl living in the 21st century have absolutely no record of…well, anything?

"I don't get it, there has to be something. You can't just hide from J.A.R.V.I.S, that's not how this works."

"Then I guess we're just going to have to ask her when she wakes up." To be honest, Steve didn't think the girl was much of a threat any more. Well technically she was, but he doubted that she wanted to hurt them. He knew how silly his suggestion had sounded when he told her to rest, but it wasn't the physical component he was referring to. She was tired, he could see it in her eyes. Not the type of tired were you have pushed yourself too hard, exhausting yourself mentally or physically, but the tired that only came from experience. He had seen the same look many times in the eyes of veterans, retired soldiers that had returned from service, it was a look that only a soldier could understand, one that came from having seen too much. That had puzzled him even more. Is that what she was? A soldier? Is that why there were no records of her? Right now he had more questions than answers, and that didn't sit well with him. They needed to know more about this girl before they allowed her into the tower, who knew what sort of threat she could pose if they allowed her access to their equipment and she turned her back on them.

"Ask away, Captain."

Both Tony and Steve tore their attention from the screens before them to stare at the girl, with wide eyes. The two men shared a glance, they didn't know how she would react to the search Tony was currently conducting. Ashley gave them a small smile, ensuring them that all was well. She hadn't really expected any less, in fact she would have probably been disappointed if they didn't try to identify her officially. "You won't find much on me, Mr. Stark. I was an orphan, so my family never really registered me. My birth records aren't available, neither is anything else really."

"Why is that?" Despite her comment being aimed at Tony, it was Steve that had addressed her.

"Well, let's just say that I've played my fair share of cat and mouse over the years. Powers like these are desirable, if they can't control you they'll find a way to harness whatever it is you can offer. Unfortunately for me,  _unlimited power_  is one hell of an offer." The small smile she gave at the end of her words was in faux humour. It was clear to both men that she probably had it tougher than the twins. How long had she been running? Is that what her life was, hiding from HYDRA? The thought sent a wave of sympathy through Steve. He had seen first-hand what kind of animals HYDRA were, and he wasn't really surprised to hear that they had been after the woman in front of them since she was a child.

Tony couldn't seem to remove those two words from his mind.  _Unlimited power_. It was so familiar, so similar to when he heard those same words mockingly enunciated three years ago on the helicarrier. She couldn't have known, she was comatose when Manhattan was almost flattened, but the similarity of how she had said the words had sent a chill up his spine. It looked like he was the only one that had picked up on it, if the sympathetic look that the Captain was shooting her way was anything to go by.  _It was a coincidence_. He told himself.  _Coincidence._

"So how exactly does that work? I get that you have some serious firepower, but what I wanna know is how you even got this power in the first place." Choosing to take his mind off of his previous thoughts, Tony decided to ask what had really had him curious. "I mean, readings like these," he pointed to a screen displaying her energy output levels, "they're impossible, you should be dead." He ignored the reprimanding glare Steve was giving him, and gave the captain a smug look when the girl gave him a sweet laugh in response.

Ashley rubbed her chin in contemplation before responding. "I guess that true. I don't know what to tell you Mr. Stark-"

"Tony."

Her lips curled upwards in a smile, glad that she was perhaps gaining at least _some_  trust from the man. "I don't know what to tell you…Tony. I was born with them. I've actually been meaning to ask you…how did you find me?"

He had been expecting the question to pop up eventually, and pointed to the same screen with the output readings that he had previously showed her. "I got an alert for an energy reading while I was searching for HYDRA's remaining bases, we knew readings like these had to be something big…we haven't seen anything like it since the tesseract."

"Tesseract?" She cocked an eyebrow in question.

"Long story, I'll explain it to ya later." He was glad when she nodded and didn't push the topic further, even though he had come to terms with the events, he always felt the panic constricting his chest when he thought of New York.

"Well, I'm glad it was you of all people that found me. Thank you." She realised that she hadn't actually thanked them for releasing her, and would have to thank the rest of the team later.

Tony gave her his most dazzling smile...maybe she wasn't half bad. He couldn't deny that his curiosity was seriously peaked. This girl's power could help him with so many energy projects that his head was spinning from the possibilities. Of course he knew that she would refuse to being an experiment again, but he wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA for that matter, and he would ensure she had whatever she needed or wanted if she agreed to helping him. He let his excitement get the better of him as he blurted out his next words.

"Stay with us."

Steve's eyes snapped to his team mate's face, but Tony was solely focused on the only girl currently in the room. Nat was busy flying the jet with Clint, and Wanda had gone for a nap a few hours earlier. Steve had no doubt that Stark's request would have earned him an earful from the rest of the team, if they had been available. Just as he was about to speak up, he heard Clint calling for him in his earpiece and excused himself from the room, hoping to god that Tony wouldn't make a mess of things.

Ashley's face remained stoic as she ran the words through her head for a fourth time. _Stay with them?_ Should she really do that? She wasn't too sure that this was an entirely supported notion, and she voiced her concerns to him.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly the most liked person around here right now." Not once did the hope leave his eyes as she spoke, and she couldn't help but let her mind stray to thoughts of what it would be like if she did join them. Would they grow to like her eventually? Maybe they could, though she doubted that her and Pietro would ever see eye-to-eye. It would be like having a family again, only this one might actually care about her beyond her powers. Tony once again spoke up, ending her train of thought.

"Who cares about them, stay with me. In fact, I want to offer you the opportunity of a life time. Be my lab assistant." The smile hadn't left his face as he spoke, he knew he was drawing her in, he honestly thought she would put up more of a fight but was pleasantly surprised when she didn't.

Ashley didn't even bother trying to keep the confused and utterly bewildered expression off of her face. Was he hearing himself? He just offered her, a complete stranger, a job as his  _lab assistant_. Why would he want her around what she was sure was his favourite part of the building? Why her of all- _oh._  She laughed. Tony laughed with her, simply for the sake of laughing.

"I like you Tony, I respect you as a scientist. You know what the problem is with scientists?" Her face lost its humoured expression during her question, and her eyes turned colder than he had ever seen in the short time he had known her, causing his own smile to melt away. "They can't help but experiment. I made it clear before I even boarded this aircraft… _I will not be an experiment again."_ The dangerous tone had caught him by surprise, luckily Tony had decided to backtrack just in time.

"No, no, no. I won't have human experiments, I don't exactly like the  _human_  component. Rest assured that if you do choose to take me up on that offer, you won't regret it kid. Whether you like it or not you're one of us now, and we protect our own." He once again gave her a smile, and with a pat on the shoulder he started walking toward the exit. He didn't know why, but he had a good feeling about this one.

It was the most genuine she had ever seen Tony Stark. What happened to the dick in the tabloids? This Tony was making it hard for her to say 'no'. With her back to him, she called out just before he could leave the room.

"When do I start, boss?"

"I'll give you a week to settle, then you have to put on your big girl panties, Consuela." His response earned him a bark of laughter from the girl, and he let the shit eating grin consume his face as he left the room. He definitely had a good feeling about this one.

 


	5. Chapter 5

"This is your cabin crew speaking, please prepare for landing and thank you for flying with Stark Airlines."

Ashley rolled her eyes at the comment that had come through the PA system, but her appreciation of Tony's humour was evident in the smile she wore. Funny people were always the best people to be around, at least for her they were.

In the past three hours she had mainly kept to herself. She knew that as soon as they landed it would no longer be her against the world, now she would have to share her time with at least five other people, so she took whatever time to herself she could. During this time she couldn't help but think of the past. She didn't have a normal life, her previous family had taught her everything they knew in order for her survival. They had emphasised that her survival was  _crucial_. She hated thinking about it…about them. The day she was taken from the orphanage was fuzzy in her mind, after all, she was only three years old when it had happened. Her foster family had taken good care of her, she always had more than enough of everything, as per her 'father's' request. He was a cruel man, she knew this, but he had a soft spot for her that he hadn't had for any other. She didn't know why…well, she did. He had praised her for her power. But her siblings were strong in their own respect, her sister had even been the one to teach her how to fight, but his 'care' for them was never the same as the interest her showed in her. Even though she knew what they were like, she had been completely unprepared when they had abandoned her at the ripe age of twelve.

She didn't want to dwell on that, though. When she had 'left' her home to move to Vancouver, she hadn't expected the hunt that she had become a part of. Ashley didn't know how HYDRA had known about her, when no one knew anything about her. But they did, and they had chased her to the edges of the world for years, until she finally slipped up and they captured her. At first they had merely asked for her cooperation, asked her to lend them the power they would need for their experiments. But she would not disobey her foster father. He had told her that she was above all others, that orders were a thing to be followed by lesser men with no power to change the situation they were in. So she refused to do as they had asked of her. They didn't like that very much. It was only then that they had sedated her, and the constant drugging had her in a three year coma. She had noticed the clear bags of sedative that had been attached to her when she was freed by the Avengers, and she was glad that it hadn't affected her too much when her power had sparked.

She was jostled out of her reminiscence when the quinjet finally landed. When she was sure that no more movement would come, she rose from the bed she had previously slept in to join the others just as they exited the aircraft. She was glad to see that Wanda had waited for her, much to the dismay of her brother -who had gone ahead and was already in the building. The younger twin gave her a kind smile as she approached the exit, and Ashley found herself returning it.

"Welcome to your new home."

The girls turned around to face Tony, both unaware that he hadn't gone ahead with the rest of the team. Ashley grinned at him, he was definitely growing on her, and she couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing just yet.

"Thanks, Uncle Scrooge."

Her comment earned her a gasp of surprise as Tony feigned hurt. He crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow as he spoke, giving her the typical sassy Tony Stark look he had coined.

"That's Mr. McDuck to you kiddo, I'm your new boss remember?"

"Oh of course,  _sir_. Won't happen again." But her cheeky smile, and the wink she gave him said otherwise. It was then that she noticed the questioning look on Wanda's face, and quickly told her that she would inform her of the new position later, to which the younger girl nodded in agreement.

She felt the air rush out of her lungs as she exited the quinjet. Ashley had definitely not anticipated this. She had already known that they were heading to New York, but the view of the city that had greeted her was unlike anything she had ever seen. She had never been to a city larger than Vancouver, and the view from Avengers Tower allowed her to see across whole of Manhattan. The height was a little unsettling, and she made sure not to stray too close to the edge of the landing area, but other than that she absorbed as much of the view as possible.

Wanda's hand had rested on Ashley's shoulder, as she too took a moment to admire the landscape and tall buildings. She was glad that the newcomer had decided to join them. She knew that Pietro wasn't too fond of the girl, but she could barely contain her excitement at the prospect of finally having a female friend around her own age. Sure she was friends with Natasha, but the former assassin was not only slightly older than her, but their interests and talents varied greatly. She couldn't deny that Ashley had caused a significant amount of curiosity to grow within her mind, and she had to refrain from interrogating her most of the time. Why? Well, because this had never happened before. Other than Ultron (for obvious reasons), Wanda had never been unable to slither into the mind of another, and more importantly, she certainly had _never_  had anyone overrule her own mind and almost tear it apart cell by cell in the process. It was far too rare of an occurrence for her to not be entirely intrigued by it, so she would get to know the girl and maybe one day they could be friends.

Tony had witnessed the small exchange. He was glad that the Maximoff girl had welcomed his new recruit, it was easy to see that the others still had a mistrust for her. Even goody-two-shoes Steve wasn't entirely sold on the idea of a new team member. Tony didn't understand it, why would they still not trust her when Wanda -The only one that had that right- seemed to like her well enough. He knew that the younger twin was fascinated by the girl that she couldn't read, he couldn't really blame her…they all were. Soon enough they would have their answers, she was already showing small signs of comfort, she didn't feel threatened by the group that was for sure. _Why would she? The girl's a walking, talking human tesseract for crying out loud!_

He watched as the two girls made their way inside the building, with Wanda stopping them every so often and pointing out what certain things were and what role they had in maintaining the tower. He smiled, knowing that the new girl was in good hands, before realising how weird he looked standing outside smiling to himself and hastily follow in the same direction. He called out to Ashley, causing both girls to turn and look at him again.

"Hey, Consuela! I'll give ya the whole tour tomorrow, for now help yourself to whatever and if you need anything just ask J.A.R.V.I.S." With that said he marched up the stairs and headed towards his room, he had a dinner date to prepare for, after all.

—

"Who's Jarvis?"

" _Hello madam_."

Ashley's head whipped around, searching for the Brit who had addressed her. Her eyes narrowed in confusion when she realised that they were alone, and she cocked a brow when Wanda started giggling at her reaction.

"Ok, ha ha very funny, what the hell just happened?" Her response only encouraged the girl to giggle even more.

"That was J.A.R.V.I.S, he is a program that Tony designed. He will help you with whatever you need." Ashley nodded in understanding as they continued their trek to the lounge in the centre of the room. Wanda had pointed out the important things to her already, and she had to admit that she was impressed with the modern living space. Not to mention the amazing tech that Tony most likely had throughout the entire building. She had particularly liked the area beneath the top floor that had been designed for the repair of the Iron Legion. As they sat on the large couch, they continued to joke with Ashley telling her about her new 'occupation', and Wanda even told her about the Ultron situation that had occurred a few months before they found her. Surprisingly both girls were genuinely enjoying the conversation, both never being very social, but neither of them noticed the blue gaze that studied them observantly.

Pietro didn't like the fact that his sister was spending so much of her time with  _her_. He had seen their earlier interaction upon landing, and even though the woman seemed to make Wanda laugh and smile -something she would rarely do around anyone but him- he refused to let his guard down around her. Something wasn't right with her, her abilities, her lack of a past…no it wasn't right at all. He would not trust someone that dangerous, especially not when they had already attacked his little sister. Had Wanda not heard Tony? The girl was unstable. She could kill all of them and not even break a sweat, how exactly was it a good idea to have her join them, again? He had to keep her away from Ashley, and if she refused to keep an eye on the woman, he would instead. Shaking his head as yet another bout of laughter sounded, he sped back into his room to give his mind a rest.

After about two hours of chatting, Ashley had noticed the exhaustion washing over Wanda and insisted that the year-older girl got some sleep. She was actually pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed her time with Wanda so much, she didn't really have the time to make friends when she was running from HYDRA, so it was nice to finally talk to someone like her. Glancing out the large windows, Ashley released a deep breath. How had all of this happened? Not 24 hours ago she was a lab experiment, and now she was sitting in Tony Stark's penthouse and unofficially a part of the greatest superhero team the world had even seen.

She stood up from her position on the couch and headed to the door she had first entered the building through.

"J.A.R.V.I.S could you please open the door for me?"

" _Right away, madam."_

"Please call me Ash, I'm not used to the whole 'formality' thing"

" _My mistake, Ash_."

She couldn't help but chuckle. She could see why Tony liked J.A.R.V.I.S so much, he was way cooler than any human she had ever met. The doors slid open, and she stepped out into the cool night's air. She slowly strode to the same spot she had been standing earlier that day with Wanda, and sat on the ground cross-legged. The fresh air was refreshing after being detained for so long. She didn't know how much time had passed as she stared at the starless sky of New York, before a voice broke her out of her small trance.

"Not a bad view, huh?"

"Not bad at all, Captain." She offered him a slight smirk. "Please, come join me." She had motioned to the spot on the floor next to her, and was glad that he had decided to do as she had suggested. "I know why you're here."

Steve turned his handsome face to give her a confused look, not quite knowing what she meant by the words. In truth, he had planned on coming outside alone, he even contemplated returning to his room when he noticed her. But the gentleman in him had berated himself and urged him to see how the girl was settling in.

"I haven't really told you guys what I can do yet, so here goes...When I was born, the doctors knew I was different. They told my mother that I had a… _condition_. She left me there at the hospital, and a few weeks later I was taken to an orphanage." Steve remained quiet, listening attentively as she spoke, and happy that she trusted him enough to do so. "I can store energy. All energy, it doesn't matter what I take it from, if it is there I can store it. The older I got, the easier it became. At first it scared me…I mean imagine being able to drain the energy from anyone or anything you want with a single thought." She looked away from him in shame as she continued.

"One time I got so scared," She shook her head remembering the memory. "The kids at the orphanage didn't like me much, there was this one older boy that used to give me a hard time. I-I killed him." The words had Steve's eyes widening in surprise, and he didn't know whether to try comforting her in the moment or not. "I didn't mean to, hell I didn't even understand what was going on at the time. The caretakers used to take us to the pools in the warmer months, and he wanted to scare me." Ashley looked back to the sky, shaking her head in regret. "So he drags me under, and I'm only three. I can't swim, and I don't know what to do, so I latch onto him like a leech. I didn't realise that I was killing him until it was too late, I drained him. The panic made me unstable, it still does sometimes…only now it's a lot worse."

"In what way?" His whisper was soft, so as not to startle her.

"After I turned twelve, when I first moved to Vancouver…I couldn't just store it, I could create it. I can literally do whatever I want with this energy, Captain, and I know it doesn't make sense. Energy can't be created or destroyed blah blah blah, but for some reason I can manipulate it, and that's why HYDRA wanted me. Because now I don't just take, I can give as well, and that can be pretty dangerous if you can't control it."

He didn't know what to say. How was he supposed to respond to her story? The old 'It wasn't your fault' would probably earn him a black eye, and he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she even told him about something that obviously haunted her.

"It's tough Ashley, I don't really know what to tell you. I understand that your past is probably something you don't want to discuss or even dwell on, so I'm grateful that you told me." He felt like an idiot.  _Is that really the best I can do?_  "Look, what I mean to say is, that I can't imagine what you have been through in your life. I can't tell you how to deal with your demons, other than telling you not to let them get the better of you. But know that you have a place here now, with us." She finally tore her gaze from the night sky and look to him with a sadness reaching deep within her brown eyes.

"God I'm such an ass."

Steve's expression grew confused once again, not understanding where the sudden comment came from.

"You were trapped in ice for like, 70 years, and I'm sitting here complaining to you. You really do have a heart of gold buddy, I would have punched me in the face a long time ago." The captain let a laugh break through his lips, he was thankful for the change in mood, but he knew his situation was nowhere near as bad as her own. Nevertheless, he didn't want to spoil the moment.

"Well what can I say, I try my best." He gave her a charming smile after his comment, followed by a chuckle when she bumped his shoulder with her own.

"The ever so humble, Captain America, ladies and gentlemen!" Her mocking statement had him returning her nudge and shaking his head at her antics. He still wasn't used to conversing with women, no matter what the serum did to his appearance, he was still nervous when a pretty girl gave him attention.

"Ashley, I was wondering…I know it's a lot to ask, but I think it's important that the team gain some trust in you. Now I'm not asking you to tell them what you just told me, but maybe if you just gave them some background information about yourself tomorrow, they'd warm up to you quicker." he held his breath after he finished his sentence, hoping he hadn't made her mad, or sounded demanding. So you can imagine the relief he felt when she looked at him with the small smile she often wore.

"Tell you what Captain…Tomorrow I'll answer whatever you and the team throw at me, if you give me the same courtesy. Deal?" She held out her had in promise.

"Call me Steve and you got a deal." They shook hands before finally deciding to call it a night.

—

As Ash made her way up to her room, she passed Pietro who was leaning against his sister's door frame and appeared to be in conversation with Wanda. She tried to pass unnoticed, but the shout of 'Ashley!' made her flinch and she inwardly cursed when she realised that Wanda was calling for her. She begrudgingly made her way back to stand in front of the door, all too aware of the stare that was burning a hole through her.

"Hey Wanda, what you need?" Pietro watched as the woman smiled at his sister in greeting and her eyes flickered sideways to meet his own. He smirked when he saw the slight discomfort his stare was causing.

"Oh I just wanted to know what you had planned for tomorrow."

"Uh…not much, just the grand tour according to Tony. You want to hang out?" Pietro's eyes narrowed in disapproval, and he looked to his sister with a look that clearly told her what he wanted her to say.

"Yes, I would like that!" She beamed at Ashley, glad that her idea of friendship was becoming a strong possibility.

"Great, well I'm beat…rest up and I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and Steve and I have made an agreement so for breakfast we will all be eating together. Goodnight guys." The last two words were slightly shouted, as she had said them while walking away from the duo. The same shout was heard from Wanda in return.

She approached her door, but when she reached for the handle she was suddenly spun around in that all too familiar fashion, and she barely had time to register being pinned to the wall beside the door. Brown met blue once again, and she had to do all she could to not kick his ass then and there.  _I did warn him not to do it again!_

"Can I help you?" She growled out, staring up at his face.

"I do not know what it is you want from my sister, and I don't care who or what you are. If you hurt my sister again, you  _will_  deal with me, understand?" Her eyes narrowed at him, and she couldn't believe he actually thought that she would hurt Wanda intentionally.

"Hmm. You've wanted to get that out of your system ever since you met me, am I right? Tell you what…" She trailed off, and he noticed the customary green that stained her eyed a second too late. He felt his head and back collide with the wall behind him. Hard. He didn't even notice her standing over him with her head cocked to the side in a mocking gesture as he rubbed his head from the impact. "I won't hurt her. I won't intentionally hurt anyone who doesn't hurt me first. Remember that next time…I get you don't trust me, but I'm hoping tomorrow can change that. Goodnight Pietro."

He pulled himself into a sitting position as she entered her room, closing the door behind her. And he could only think one thing…

"What is happening tomorrow?"

 


	6. Chapter 6

Ashley let out a groan as she stretched herself out across the bed. She didn't want to open her eyes, because she knew that the day would begin as soon as she did. She had to hand it to Tony, he had excellent taste when it came to design and comfort. The king-size bed that sat in the centre of her new bedroom was like heaven compared to the metal contraption she had been stuck in at HYDRA. She didn't know if it was planned, but the green colour scheme she noticed had her grinning when she entered the room the previous night; it had always been her favourite colour.

Easing her eyes open, she noticed that it was definitely light outside, so she turned her head to the bedside table where the holographic clock sat signaling that it was 8:32am. She hauled her body towards the device and smiled as she ran her hand through the numbers, only to have them reappear as it moved out of their way. She would never understand how Tony could come up with these things; the man truly was a genius. She shifted her body so her legs hung from the side of the bed, as she maneuvered herself into a sitting position while untangling her limbs from the sheets. It was only then that she looked down and remembered that she hadn't even bothered to shower or change out of the white clothing that HYDRA had given her. Ashley hadn't seen the room properly during the night, she was eager to feel the comfort of the bed, so she paid no attention to the features. Until now. A low whistle passed her lips as she took in her surroundings; it was bigger than she had originally thought.

To her left was a home theatre. A ridiculously large flat screen TV mounted on the wall, and the ground was sunken in two steps where the spacious lime green couches were positioned around a smooth white coffee table. _Is that leather?_  The wall beside the couches was lined with two white wooden bookshelves, which were completely filled with texts.  _I'll have to have a look at that later._  Turning her head to the right she noticed two white sliding doors standing out from the emerald wall beside them.  _The bathroom and wardrobe, no doubt_. She sat still for a few minutes before finally standing up on her toes and stretching her entwined hands to the ceiling. The loud crack that had come from her back had her sighing in content, and she lazily trudged her way across the grey wooden floorboards over to the bathroom door on her right. The door slid open and she smiled when it was in fact the bathroom, like she had guessed. Her smile faded as her jaw dropped in awe, and her eyes longingly scanned the magnificent Jacuzzi that occupied most of the bathroom. Even though she had always preferred showers to baths, she made a mental note to try it out at least once. She noticed that fresh towels had been placed on the towel rack that was mounted to the wall, besides the shower on her right, and she froze in place when she looked to her left.

It had been far longer than three years since she had seen her own reflection, and after the initial shock wore off, she found herself moving closer to the large vanity mirror. She stopped a few inches from it and stared at the woman looking back at her. Fingers ghosted across each feature as she took her appearance in. Her dark ash-brown hair that needed a good washing was disheveled from her sleep, and had extended past her waist in length. Her face had always had a softness to it, her features had never been sharp or particularly angular, and she was glad that it hadn't hollowed during her detainment. Her pale cheeks had always had a rosy tint when she was a child, but she had long outgrown that.

Her eyes were always her sister's favourite. She had dark brown eyes, framed with medium length dark lashes. They had been expressive and curious when she was a child, the way they lit up had brought a smile to her sister's face, but she doubted that they had retained their captivating qualities after everything they had seen. Then there were the times that she showed her real eyes. Most would think that the brown were her real eyes, but it was only in the moments that the emerald consumed them that her true eyes shone bright.

It was an entrancing sight, the small green inferno that seemed to be trapped beneath the surface. But it was also a warning. She was aware of the fact that it was in those times that she was at risk of instability, but as long as she kept her emotions in check, she would have control. Her gaze travelled down her nose, it was neither too big nor too small, and led to the pink lips beneath. There had always been a fascination people had with plump and pouty lips, but she had never understood it. Her lips weren't either of those, but she had a wide smile that was contagious to all, with a certain spark of impishness that came with it.

Well, that's what she would have looked like had she not had marks across her face from her pillow, and dark bags under her eyes.  _Jesus, I look like a million bucks_. She chuckled at her thoughts and turned away from the mirror, running a hand through her messy hair. When she opened the glass door of the shower, she beamed at the variety of products that were stored inside, and hastily undressed to step into the welcomed warmth of the shower.

* * *

45 minutes later when Ashley finally decided to leave the shower, she wrapped a towel around her body and another around her hair, as she stepped out of the steaming bathroom and towards the second door she had seen earlier.

"Woah."

The room was indeed a wardrobe, and had mountains of clothes and shoes already neatly stacked within it, with a large mirror across one of the walls. She didn't know how Tony had known what sizes to buy her, nor did she know when he had the time to buy any of the stuff in the first place. She was touched at how far he would go for a stranger that he had met not even two days earlier, and would remember to thank him for both his generosity and his hospitality later.

She snatched up a pair of skinny jeans, a plain black singlet and a hoody, before burrowing through the abundance of underwear on offer. Once satisfied she dropped the towel around her body and pulled on the plain nude-coloured underwear she had chosen. She noticed her reflection in the mirror, and couldn't help but stare at the pale scar that rested across her ribs on the left side of her flat stomach. The scar itself wasn't too wide, but it travelled down 4 inches, and had troubled her greatly. It's not that she was ashamed of a scar; she had never really cared about them enough for that. It was the fact that she couldn't recall how she had even acquired it in the first place. She had tried desperately to remember how and when she may have received it on multiple occasions, but all she knew was that the day she arrived in Vancouver, was the day it magically appeared.  _One day they will need you, promise me you'll run sister..._

She shook the memory from her head, and relaxed her contemplative face, before she continued dressing. Taking the towel off of her head so that she could slide on the hoody, she liked that it was baggy rather than form fitting. Comfort was far more important than anything else when it came to fashion. Taking a final glance in the mirror, she gave a small nod of approval, and slipped her feet into the flats she had selected. She dried her hair with the towel as best as she could, and tied her hair into a messy bun atop her head, before finally leaving the room.

* * *

The group had been sitting together in the main atrium since 9 o'clock. Nat and Clint had taken a couch for themselves, as Wanda and Tony shared the other. Pietro was spinning around on a barstool impatiently, and Steve sat comfortably on the armchair beside the couches. All eyes snapped to the doorway when they finally heard the footfalls of the one they were waiting for.

"Sorry I'm late, you'd think I hadn't showered in years." Ashley gave them a cheeky smile, and was glad when she heard the chuckles coming from the team. She wanted the statement to diffuse as much tension as possible, and it appeared to do the trick.

"Hey, no harm, no foul. We haven't been waiting that long anyway." Ashley chose to ignore the audible scoff that came from Pietro's direction, and gave the archer who spoke a nod instead.

"I hope you don't mind, but I already told them what you told me about your abilities last night." She gave Steve a smile, showing that she didn't mind at all; in fact it saved her the time of going over it again.

"No problem Steve. So, I've kept you waiting long enough…have at it."

Even though they now had permission to do so, all questions fled from their minds when they realised that she  _wasn't_  going to make the process difficult for them (That was a first). At least until Clint cleared his throat and asked the first question, directing all eyes to the girl.

"How did you end up in that base?"

Ashley took a moment to think about her answer, and pulled a small footrest over to the centre of the room between the two couches, so that everyone could see her. She was well aware of the scrutinising green gaze that belonged to the team's expert interrogator, following her every move. But she paid it little attention, and sat down on the stool with a small sigh.

"Well, if you haven't already noticed, I'm from Vancouver. When I was 12 that's where they found me. Don't ask how they knew about me, I have no idea…but as soon as they found me I started running." She took their silence as encouragement, and continued. "It was little things at first, and I blamed it on paranoia." This time she was interrupted by Clint.

"What do you mean?"

"Like that feeling you get when someone is watching you…it was only then that I noticed that the mailman doesn't deliver 3 times a day, and on a damn Sunday no less." The archer released a quiet snort and mumbled something along the line of 'amateurs' in Natasha's direction. Ashley smiled at this, but continued the story.

"So I packed some stuff, and I hightailed it out of there. The first five years were tough, moving around constantly and hiding from the world was damn hard. It was just before my eighteenth birthday that I slipped up. I was in Windsor, Ontario, making my way down to the states. It's not a huge place, but I had been avoiding cities as much as possible. I guess I should have kept it that way, because that's all it took for them to find me." She gave a breathy chuckle, as if the scene was playing out right before her eyes, and then looked down at the grey tiles. "They sedated me on sight, and I woke up on a bed in a small metal room. It actually wasn't bad at first," The twins shared a disbelieving look at her comment. "They'd feed me and I'd be well looked after. I knew what they were doing - being nice to me so that I might return the favour. That lasted about a year. The next 3 years they tried taking by force…needless to say, it didn't go so well, not for them and not for me either. I lashed out, so they started drugging me, keeping me sedated was the easiest way to avoid harm. I wouldn't hurt them voluntarily if I had my mask on, but it tends to slip off when someone tries to mess with my head." Her eyes inadvertently flickered to Wanda, who looked to the ground sheepishly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we're talking about the vibranium mask, right?" She hadn't told Steve this information during the night, so he asked the question that must have been on everyone's mind. Even Pietro seemed curious, seeing as he was leaning on the armrest of his sister's couch, instead of sitting his barstool.

"No, I'm talking about this one." She gestured up and down her body with her right hand, and only elaborated after seeing the confusion that had warped all of their faces. Standing up from her makeshift seat, the team watched attentively as the green consumed her.

Although Pietro had seen this occur,  _twice_ , he was surprised with the extent to which her eyes had changed. They had always sported the green glow when she had previously used her power, but the brown pigment was constantly present beneath it. Now there was no brown, and her skin had a soft green hue to it that seemed to only be apparent if you were looking for it. He knew it was her hands that caused the most damage, and if he listened closely, he could only just make out the quiet hum of energy coming from them. All in all, she looked the same, but the emerald that overpowered her made her appearance far more dangerous than usual.

Tony, who had been surprisingly silent so far, finally decided to speak up.

"So then this is what you usually look like? The normalcy is the mask, right?" She gave him a nod of confirmation. "And it's only when you're like this," he gestured to her body much like she had previously, "that you turn into a Duracell bunny, right?" Another nod.

Clint's brows were drawn together. "How did you even figure that out?" He was bewildered at how easily Tony could come to such conclusions, to him, the girl was an enigma.

"I've had J.A.R.V.I.S monitoring output readings from the moment she stepped foot in the tower, she's usually totally stable." He used a touch screen device in his hand to project a hologram into the centre of the room, just in front of where Ashley now stood. "These are the readings from when we landed." The green bar graph showed energy output over time, and the group were pleased to see that the readings were low, even if they were quite higher than the average human's. He stood from his seat beside Wanda, and circled the hologram. "Complete stability. These are her readings  _now_ …" He pulled up another projection, and the team watched as the green bars faded to red, no longer fitting the range of the graph. The genius sighed. "Infinite energy. Incredibly unstable…but totally cool." He shot Ashley a grin, completely ignorant to the concern that had found a place in the eyes of the other Avengers, so she put her mask back in place.

"So whenever you tap into the generator…you become unstable?" Natasha's question was aimed at Ashley, but Tony replied before she could even think of a response.

"No, it's only when she uses  _all_  of her power." his explanation had no effect in lessening the perplexed expression she wore, so Ashley continued the explanation.

"It's like a tap. I can control my output, and it's only when I open the tap fully that I might lose control of the flow." Natasha nodded slowly in understanding, before another question came to mind.

"And what happens when you can't control it?"

"The tap turns into a dam." She answered.

"A dam with a huge crack in it, that's just waiting to burst. And when it does," Tony added, with a humourless chuckle. "Well, let's just say you don't want to be there when that happens." He the turned to look at Wanda. " _She_  only felt a speck of that power, imagine what the whole shebang would do to  _you_."

Ashley looked down ruefully. She didn't like it when they reminded her of what she done to the younger twin, and the unreadable look that Pietro was shooting her way was unnerving her slightly. Steve noticed her discomfort at the attention she had just gained, and decided to ask the next question.

"We noticed a lot of vibranium at the base, any particular reason for that?"

Her brows scrunched together. "Vibranium?"

"The metal that was protecting you." Wanda explained. And Ashley had to laugh.

"It definitely wasn't protecting  _me_. But it did seem to be the only material to show some sort of resistance to the energy I was throwing off. I could still penetrate it, but to a smaller extent than anything else…That's probably why they had it." The group nodded at this, glad that there was no ulterior reason for HYDRA using the metal. To everyone's surprise, Pietro's accented voice was heard for the first time since she had arrived.

"Why can Wanda not read you?" Ashley's brown eyes flickered between the two twins, and her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip as she thought about the question for a moment.

"I don't know. All I know is that she can't penetrate my mind, I'm not sure how you 'read' people…but if it has anything to do with my mind then I can tell you right now that it can't be done. HYDRA were trying it for years, and they got nowhere, of course when they did it they had the…vibranium?" She looked to Tony in question, and he gave her a nod. "Right, they had the vibranium there to minimise the impact of the excess energy. Wanda went straight at it, that's why it hurt her." Pietro gave her a curt nod, and she couldn't tell if he was pleased with her answer or not, but she wouldn't bother asking.

The team were genuinely feeling more comfortable around the newcomer, now that they had learnt a bit more about her. The trust wasn't there just yet, but she didn't appear to be a threat –figuratively speaking, of course. They had all been satisfied with her answers and were pleased with her cooperation, but there was a single question that had continued to gnaw at Natasha's mind.

"Where is your family?"

Ashley's insides froze up, and she had to do everything in her power to prevent it from showing on her face. Where was her family?  _Damn good question_. Who was her family in the first place? Could she even still call them that? They had abandoned her, and left her there in Vancouver. They left her alone for HYDRA to hunt, and they never even thought twice about it. Had they felt guilty? Had they gone back to look for her?  _Who are you trying to kid?_  They would have had to care, in order to feel guilty. But they did care…well at least her sister did.  _One day they will need you, promise me you'll run sister…_

"Hello? Earth to Ashley."

Tony's words snapped her out of her trance and she blinked her glossy eyes and looked up at the six faces that were now leaning in and staring at her inquisitively.

"Oh, uh…sorry. I don't- I don't know where they are. They uh-they left me. Alone. In Vancouver." The shaky reply earned a sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder from Steve, who she didn't even realise had moved from his seat. Even Natasha would have felt bad for asking, if it were in her range of emotions.

"Well that's their loss, they're missing out on one hell of a lab assistant." She gave a small laugh at Tony's comment, and beamed at him.  _He really is getting to me_. Realising that Tony was trying to make the girl feel better, Steve decided to join in.

"Hands off Stark, she likes me better." Tony gasped in faux offence, hand resting on his chest in the process.

"Now, now ladies…I saw her first." And then the  _Black Widow_  winked at her.

* * *

After they had asked all of the questions that they had for the girl, the group went about their day as usual. Pietro stood with his sister as she waited for Ashley –who seemed to be thanking Stark for some reason. He didn't want to wait for her, but he had promised himself to keep an eye on her when she was with Wanda, and that's exactly what he would do.

She finally made her way over to them and smiled at Wanda. Her smile faded into a look of reproach as she looked at Pietro. He smirked at her, glad that she knew exactly what he was doing. Ashley opened her mouth to say something to him, but was cut off by Wanda before she could.

"Come, it is time for your tour! Pietro even decided to join us today." Wanda beamed at her and tugged on her wrist, leading Ashley behind her. Ashley plastered a fake grin across her face as she looked at him.

"How… _wonderful._ " The words were spoken through clenched teeth, and she wished she could wipe the ridiculous smirk right off of his arrogant face.  _Violence is not the answer, my ass!_

Wanda continued toward the elevator, and Ashley obliged. A genuine smile spread on her face as she listened to the girl talk animatedly. Maybe Tony was right…maybe they  _could_  be her new family. And with that thought the doors closed, and the tour began.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

_Ding._

"And this is the last floor I wanted to show you." Ashley followed Wanda as she exited the elevator and walked towards the double doors that stood at the end of the hallway.

"What is it?"

"The training area. Stark has made this floor a gym, an area where the Avengers can practice in their free time." Pietro was the one that replied, and she had entirely forgotten that he was with them in the first place. The elder Sokovian had been quiet during most of the tour, and she had assumed that this was due to him wanting to observe rather than participate. She turned her head to look at him as she walked beside Wanda, a confused curiosity painting her features.

"Why do you call him that?" This time it was Pietro that wore the look of confusion, and he cocked a questioning eyebrow as he met her gaze.

"Call him what? Stark? It's his name." She rolled her eyes at his reasoning, knowing that he understood the nature of her question, but was intentionally being difficult.

"I know that, you ass, but why don't you call him Tony?" She didn't miss the meaningful glance that the twins shared, and couldn't help but wonder just what it had meant. However, she also knew that it was their business, and that they had the right to not share it. "Just curious, never mind…forget I asked."

Wanda looked at her brother once again, her eyes asking him the silent question. He shook his head.  _No_. There was no way that he would delve into his past and share  _that_  event with someone who meant so little to him. The day their parents died would forever be etched in his memory, the last thing he wanted to do was relive it for the sake of a complete stranger. He felt the familiar push of his sister's power against his mind, and decided to humour her. The first words that had uncontrollably formed in his mind were the ones he least wanted to hear.

_She told us of her family, why not tell her of ours?_

The glare he shot Wanda was reason enough, and she withdrew from his mind. The younger twin reached the double doors first, and threw them open with more force than necessary, causing a resounding 'bang' to be heard as they hit the wall supporting them. Ashley winced at the contact while Pietro simply rolled his eyes, still not understanding how she would so easily put her trust into a woman they had only met  _3 days_  earlier. He knew that his sister was far more level-headed and understanding than he would ever be, but she was never reckless, so why was she so friendly with the newcomer?

"Woah...he really went all out, didn't he?" Ashley took in the huge room she now stood in. The floor was entirely made of rubber, and she was sure that every type of exercise machine available was somewhere in the organised room. In the centre, was a large square ring that she assumed was for hand to hand combat, and the back of the room was lined with boxing-bags that hung from the ceiling. The wall on the left held an array of different weapons, while the right consisted mainly of a large mirror that covered more than half of it. She walked ahead and began inspecting the room, leaving the twins alone for a small while.

"Oh this is only for our use, you should see the one at the new facility." Wanda grinned at her, she was looking forward to showing her around the new Avengers facility. She knew that Pietro couldn't, or rather wouldn't, understand why she trusted Ashley. She had put herself in his shoes and knew that his mistrust stemmed from the poor first impression Ashley had made. But she also knew that Pietro was being incredibly narrow-minded about the whole situation. It was Wanda who had tried breaching Ashley's mind without warning or permission, and for that reason, it was Wanda who had felt the repercussions of her actions. Ashley was not to blame for what happened that day, the girl wasn't even conscious! Not to mention that she had been mentally assaulted for 3 years, of course she would assume the worst when she felt someone prodding at her mind once more.

But Pietro was apparently having none of it.  _Act first, think later_. That is exactly what he did, whether he realised it or not. She was thrown out of her thoughts when her brother elbowed her in the ribs. She turned in his direction, clearly agitated by his recent behaviour.

"Do not speak to her about the facility, the Captain said it was only for Avengers and that makes it classified, sister." His words were whispered and laced with irritation, they had both been specifically told to not speak of the facility with anyone that didn't already know of it. But this was the last straw for Wanda.

"Listen to me Pietro. I know that you don't trust her, I know that you don't like her. But what I don't know is why. A few months ago that was us," she quickly pointed at the woman who had taken a keen interest in the knives that were on display. "When we met the Avengers we attacked them, you physically, and me mentally. We unleashed the _big one_ , and we helped Ultron for most of the time. They had every reason not to trust us, to kill us even, but they didn't. They saved us, just like we saved her." Pietro had looked down at the ground like a child being reprimanded, and took in all that his sister was saying. "Pietro, look at me." And he did. "Would you have me hate her, for defending herself against  _my_  attack?" He gave a quick shake of his head with his eyes flickering to the rubber floor once more. His eyebrows knitted together as he tried to form a response, and just as he opened his mouth to finally reply…

_"_ _Miss Maximoff, I believe Miss Romanoff is searching for you."_

"Thank you J.A.R.V.I.S, please tell her I will meet her in the lobby."

_"_ _Of course, madam."_

Wanda looked back to Pietro, lifting her eyebrows in a silent question. He just shook his head.

"Go, we will speak more of this when you return from the facility." She gave him a nod, and he knew that it was definitely a chat that they would be having, just by the finality of the gesture. She gave him one more pointed look before she left, the message was clear… _behave_. He gave her his usual smirk, and chuckled in success when he saw her stern facade slip when a small smile appeared. She shook her head and left the training room behind her as she left to find the fiery assassin.

"And then there were two."

Pietro crossed his arms across his chest and turned to look at Ashley, he didn't outwardly show it, but he was surprised to see her flipping a small throwing knife in her hand. Deciding to disobey his sister, he thought to try getting more information out of the girl.

"You seem comfortable with that." He gestured to the knife, and she ceased her movements at his words. Although his expression was one of curiosity, Ashley could sense some underlying reason for the statement. She hummed in response, and returned to the throwing as if he hadn't said anything in the first place. Suppressing the eye roll that had threatened to appear, Pietro inquired further, hating how nosey he was beginning to sound.

"Is there a reason for that?"

"My sister taught me how to use one, you never know when they might come in handy, right?" He was surprised when she answered him, and even more surprised when she mentioned that she had a sister. That was news to him, she had of course mentioned her family to him earlier, but never had he thought that she too had a sister.  _This is good, a common relation._

"I didn't know you had a sister, what is her name?" The question was innocent enough, but she fiercely cared for her elder sister, and the abandonment that she had experienced still stung because of that. It was for that reason that she didn't wish to speak about it, especially with _him_  of all people. But she knew that this would be a rare opportunity to perhaps gain a semblance of trust from the elder Maximoff, so she indulged him.

"Uh, her name is Gabby." He noticed her hesitance, but thought little of it when he realised that he was probably the last person she wanted to talk to about her family.

"Gabby." He tried the name out, and she desperately tried to contain the snicker that came when she heard the accented pronunciation. He rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time in the past hour. "What is she like?"

Giving him a name was hard enough, but she could not and would not divulge any more information in regards to her family, trust be damned! Did he not understand how hard it was to speak about the ones who had left her alone in a foreign city, when she was only a child? Her 'father' was harsh, she knew that. But she genuinely loved her sister, as if they truly shared the same blood.

"What's with all the sudden questions? I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but you're awfully chatty for someone who doesn't even want me here in the first place." He recognised the stance she had adopted. Arms crossed, shoulders tensed, and a cautious look on her face, there was no doubt that she was defensive about this particular topic. _I wonder why…What are you hiding?_

He raised his hands in a mocking show of peace, and chuckled lightly through the smirk that had found a place on his face. "Relax, I was just trying to make conversation. I have Wanda, and I was just curious if you shared a similar bond with your own sister." Her shoulders drooped slightly, but the mistrust between them was heavy. "How about we make a deal?" Now this certainly had her attention, as all defence flew out the window and interest took its place.

"What kind of deal?"

"I'll answer your question about  _Stark_ ," He internationally emphasised the name. "If you tell me what your sister is like." He could practically see the gears turning in her mind, and knew that she would eventually agree, because she hadn't declined right away. Her face lit up with an idea and he felt slightly nervous when a smirk slowly tugged at her lips.

"I could always just ask Wanda." He narrowed his eyes at her, not quite fond of the idea. It was obvious that he was getting nowhere with his attempts, so he stopped beating around the bush and tried a more direct approach, lowering his voice to a whisper as he stepped closer to her.

"What are you hiding?" The sudden change in disposition had thrown her off. The sombre mood that had clouded the room was suffocating her, as the memories of the past that she was desperate to suppress, floated to the surface of her mind yet again. It seemed as if she could not escape it, the closer she became to her new companions, the more often the familiar feelings rose within her. She wasn't ready for it. Not yet. So she would do what she had always done.

Pietro watched as a vacant expression overtook her, the inner turmoil was clear, and the small smile she gave when she finally met his gaze was both sad and pained.

"Hiding…it can't help you in a world where privacy no longer exists. Exposure is an enemy you can't hide from, so what do you do when you can't hide?"

"You run. That is something I can understand." He was confident in his answer, and was glad to see that he had followed her train of thought. She nodded at his words, but her expression suggested that his answer was flawed.

"You run, but you're not  _running_. That's the difference between us." He raised a brow as she turned to leave the room, calling out before she could enter the elevator.

"Then what are you running from?" She halted her movement for a moment as she thought of what to say. Closing her eyes as the words flashed through her mind, she could hear them so clearly that she had to reopen them to make sure her sister wasn't standing right beside her.

_Run sister..._

"I'll let you know when I figure it out." And she stepped into the elevator, pushing the button that would take her to Tony's lab, before the doors closed and effectively hid her from Pietro's studying gaze.

Pietro could only watch as Ashley left the floor, and huffed out a sigh as his mind tried to make sense of the woman. He couldn't help but agree with his previous assessment… _She was still a strange one._

* * *

"Ok J.A.R.V.I.S, give me maximum output."

_"_ _Right away, sir."_

Following the group chat, Tony had been working in his lab. Ever since they had stumbled upon Ashley, his mind was working overtime. When he first discovered the energy readings that were coming out of the freezing Russian town, he was giddy to get his hands on the source. He hadn't had any time to work with the tesseract (for obvious reasons), so the new prospect of finally finding an energy source powerful enough to use for some of the procedures that he had deemed inefficient, was an exciting thing. Unfortunately things hadn't quite played out that way, but the fact that Ashley had taken an immediate liking to him was reassuring. So when he saw his newest employee enter the lab after J.A.R.V.I.S informed him that maximum output had no effect on his project, he gave her his most disarming smile.

"Ah, just the girl I wanted to see." She returned his smile, and let her eyes scan the abundance of machinery present in the lab.

"What can I do for you, Scrooge?" Tony shook his head at the nickname, and ruffled her hair as she walked over to his work bench.

"You know, I don't think I've ever had to actually fire an employee before they even started working for me." His response made her laugh, and she realised that it was becoming a frequent occurrence when she was in Tony Stark's company.

"Well don't start now." He gave her an amused smile before beckoning her over to him. She obliged, and moved to stand beside him as they looked at a large device that sat on the table. Cocking a dark brow, she looked to him not quite understanding what he wanted to show her. "What is it?"

"Hmm, that's not important right now. What is important, is that I can't generate a high enough energy output to get it to work." He looked at her with a hopeful smile, she couldn't help but think that he looked more like a child begging his parents to buy him a toy, than someone who could possibly buy the whole world if he wanted to. She rolled her eyes in mock disapproval, which was clear to discern due to the small smile on her face. Tony clapped giddily, a ear-splitting grin gracing his features as he prepared the machine once more. Ashley placed her hand on the device and nodded, telling him that she was ready whenever he was.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, take 32. Aaaand…action."

The loud hum of the machine coming to life was heard, and Ashley closed her eyes, only reopening them when the usual brown was fused with the emerald green. Green waves were expelled from her hand, only to be absorbed by the device that it was resting on. Tony looked on in anticipation, watching the monitors closely to discern whether the procedure would be a success this time. A shrill drilling sound was heard from inside the device, and Ashely looked back at Tony with a look that clearly said 'is that normal?'. He gave her a thumbs up, with his smile still in place. After several minutes the hum died down and she withdrew her hand, returning her -now, brown- gaze to her new employer once more.

"Did it work?"

"Only one way to find out, .J.A.R.V.I.S what's our status?"

_"_ _It seems as if the process was a success, sir. Synthesis is at 100% completion."_

Tony lit up at the news, giving her a small but grateful smile. "Well, how 'bout that."

"So…you going to tell me what just happened?" Tony had moved over to take her place by the machine, and he opened what appeared to be a latch, before removing a small piece of metal. The product was circular and smaller than the size of his palm, and he held it out for Ashely to observe. She took it from his outstretched had and traced its shape with her fingers. "All that…just for this?" She raised her brows and looked up from the product to see him wearing a faux look of outrage.

"Just for this?  _Just for this?_  I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that." He snatched it up from her hand and turned to place it on the work station behind him. When he spun around to face her again, he had a sudden thought. "You know, you haven't actually been in here before…So what can  _I_  do for  _you_ , Consuela?" He folded his arms across his chest, her eyes followed the movement and it was only then that she realised something.

"Hey, I thought you had that…you know, that thing." She used her hand to motion circles around her chest, earning a look of confusion, and then amusement from the billionaire.

"You mean my arc reactor?"

"Yeah, sure…that." Her awkwardness made her wish she hadn't brought it up in the first place, but she was glad to see that Tony didn't mind discussing the matter too much. In truth, it was the first time he had seen her flustered since they had met, and he found it quite funny.

"I actually got rid of it a few years back, I'll have to catch you up on the things you missed sleeping beauty." She glared at the pet name, so naturally, Tony made a mental note to use it more often. Then he realised that she hadn't answered his question, and it appeared that she had the same train of thought.

"I was actually wondering if I could maybe go out tomorrow…it's been a while, and I just-" But she was interrupted before she could say any more.

"Say no more, I actually have someone I want you to meet. How's lunch sound?" He had begun tinkering with his equipment mid-speech, but he did throw her a glance when he asked.

Ashley was glad to finally be able to see the world after being detained for so long. So she happily nodded in agreement when he glanced at her. "Yeah that sounds great, thank you Tony." This made him stop in his tracks for a moment. It wasn't often that people thanked him, in fact, usually they would sooner curse him than thank him! He was grateful to finally meet someone who appreciated what he did as a person, because he knew that most people only tried befriending him for the material benefits. He nodded his head, and did a double-take when he saw what time it was.

"Yikes, you should head on up now, big day tomorrow and it's already 11." She wasn't even aware of the time, and although she would usually stay up far longer, an early night sounded good to her.

"Yeah good idea, goodnight boss. Don't work too hard."

"Yes ma'am. Oh god the Cap's finally getting to me." His eyes widened at the revelation, and she laughed at the genuine fear that covered his face.

"Oh no, god forbid you turn out like  _Captain America_." The sarcasm was not lost on him and he gave her a pout when she laughed at him. She shook her head with her smile in tact and made for the elevator, much like she had earlier that day. She could hear Tony muttering as she walked away.

"No, I think I'm too honourable to be another Captain America. I mean he's great and all-"

" _Goodnight_ , Tony." She called out exasperatedly, interrupting him mid-rant. Ashley chuckled for the umpteenth time when he waved her away impatiently and the elevator took off once again, this time it was taking her to her room.

* * *

_"_ _He is expecting it soon."_

_The soft but cold female voice broke the silence._

_"_ _He will have it, soon…" Was the slow reply from the ominous male._

_"_ _He doesn't like to be kept waiting, you know that."_

_"_ _Hm…did you bring my payment?" He seemed to ignore her statement entirely, instead asking his own question as his bored gaze met her own._

_The female glared at him before reaching for the bag she had placed on the table they had sat at. After a few moments of searching through its contents, she finally removed a small pouch from within and handed it to him. He met her gaze with a look of indifference and ever so slowly opened the pouch with his gloved-clad hands. His eyes softened when he saw the contents._

_"_ _Beautiful…"_

_"_ _And rare, it was harder to come by than you said it would be."_

_"_ _But here you are, safe and sound." He maintained his indifference, eyes never leaving the new possession during his mocking response._

_"_ _A little warning next time, he won't be happy if he is delayed. And unfortunately for you, my death_ _**is** _ _a delay." His eyes were pale but had a darkness to them, and they had returned to meet the woman's as soon as she had mentioned_ _**him** _ _. Deciding that he was done with the conversation, he rose from his seat and left the small and messy office. His home was just as messy, but a hundred times larger in size. The mess of clustered objects was unbearable to outsiders, but he knew the place of each item in the organised chaos. Looking over the hoard, he noticed something was missing from the table to his far left. His pale brows furrowed slightly before he noticed the small head poking out over said table. Slowly and silently he approached the figure, who he had already identified as a child, and stared at her curiously when she came into full view._

_He was surprised when she turned around, not knowing how she had figured that he was there. Big brown eyes widened, and she quickly returned the golden knife she had been examining, to the table where she had found it. She bowed her head and whispered a hasty apology. But he couldn't care less about her inspection. There was something different about the girl, something unique, something…valuable. Something powerful._

_"_ _What have we here, a little flower perhaps?" He couldn't take his eyes off of the girl, the curiosity was far too overpowering. "Come here, child." He held his gloved hand out towards her, to show he meant her no harm. But the girl hesitated when she looked behind him, searching for permission._

_"_ _No." He was finally thrown out of his trance, and remembered that he had another guest when he heard her stern voice. He offered the girl a small smile, that didn't quite reach his eyes before turning to face her keeper. The woman's gaze was lethal and it was obvious that his previous assessment was correct. She was of some value to them. The woman approached the child and took her by the hand, this had his pale brows raising in surprise. What was she to them?_

_"_ _I believe, introductions are in order…" His slow drawl, though quiet, was loud in the heavy silence._

_"_ _That's not necessary, we have done what we came here to do. Hold up your end of the deal, if you don't…the next time you see me might be your last." The child's eyes looked up at the woman questioningly, almost as if she was scared for him. He answered with a knowing chuckle, and a hum of contemplation as his eyes trailed to the girl again._

_"_ _A remarkable ward you have found yourself. Such a delicate little flower, I can't help but wonder…how will you feel when he breaks her?" He had to suppress a victorious smile, when he saw the fear in the older woman's eyes, betraying her stoic disposition. "Such a waste…" He trailed off, returning to the same curious trance as before._

_"_ _Let me worry about that, you just worry about yourself." With that said, she gave a small tug on the child's hand and led her towards the exit. The girl's head was turned to look at him with similar curiosity as his own showing on her face, and he called out before they reached the exit._

_"_ _I suppose you now know what it is like to be second best." The females turned to face him once more, the elder one showing slight puzzlement at his words. He walked towards the table and gently picked up the golden knife, inspecting it closely before looking to the girl once more. "She is no doubt his new favourite…power can make a man do many things." He strode towards them and crouched down so that he was at eye level with the brown haired little girl. He noted the tightening of her guardian's fingers around her small hand._ _**Protective** _ _. He raised the knife so that it hovered between their eyes, and both sets studied it carefully. "A gift…little flower." And finally he heard her voice clearly._

_"_ _Why?" Her guardian had thought the exact same thing. It was unlike him to give 'gifts'._

_"_ _Because...it is the flowers with thorns, that survive the longest." The big brown eyes studied his pale features extensively before she finally brought her small and delicate hand up to take the hilt. The knife was crafted entirely from gold, and its worth would have been tremendous. If that wasn't enough, the carvings and emeralds that gave the hilt a snake-like appearance were enough to reinforce its value. Her small fingers brushed against his own gloved ones as they gripped the handle, and he felt the surge of power that he had been exposed to in that moment._

_"_ _Thank you." Her expressive brown eyes were focused on him, and yet again he gave her a smile that was clearly forced. It had the girl wondering if the older man even knew how to give a genuine smile. He nodded then, and stood to his usual height, locking eyes with the older of the two. The lack of trust, and abundance of caution was clear for all to see, and she finally broke the eye contact and left the man there alone as the two left. The small girl gave him one final glimpse and a small wave, before she was gone for good._

_They wouldn't know it, but it was only then that he_ _**genuinely** _ _grinned._

* * *

Ashley eyes shot open. It wasn't a nightmare, not at all. But it had been a long time since she had remembered that particular memory. It was one of the only ones that she had never been able to entirely understand, and it always unnerved her to think of the man she had only ever met that one time. Not to mention that there was a small pain that came with remembering her sister, and seeing her protective nature within the memory only increased that pain tenfold.

It was dark in her room and the holographic numbers showing that it was only 2:14am had her groaning in irritation. The clear sound of rain could be heard throughout the quiet room and while she usually welcomed it, it did nothing to better her current mood. She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep, the memory was still playing in her mind and if she closed her eyes she would just watch it over and over again. So she rubbed her eyes, and dragged herself up. The cold immediately hit her when she crawled from the warmth of her bed, and she navigated the darkness blindly in search of the hoody that she would throw on over her pyjama singlet. She only had matching shorts covering her legs, but she couldn't be bothered to try and locate anything warmer. She ran a hand though her newly tangled hair before haphazardly tying it in a bun atop her head, and silently making her way out of the room while sliding on some slippers in the process.

Ashley made her way to the kitchen, refusing to turn on any of the lights. It would hurt her eyes and alert anyone else up of her presence, and the last thing she wanted to do was talk to someone in the foul mood she was in, not that it mattered because the lights of New York shone through the window and faintly illuminated the room anyway. She opened one of the cabinet doors and removed a glass, opting for a glass of milk. It was always the best thing to drink during the night, no mater what anyone said. She took a long gulp from the glass, and turned her dark eyes to the wall-sized window. The rain had only intensified and the first grumblings of thunder could be heard tormenting the city. As her gaze travelled around the room she noticed a hulking figure standing outside in the rain. No, not standing. Making its way towards her. Her senses kicked in and she quickly observed the figure. He was clearly male, if size was anything to go by, and he looked like a man on a mission as he made his way closer with determination and anger flowing through each of his steps. But that's not what had caught her attention. He was holding something in his hand…some sort of weapon. And that was all it took for her defences to kick in, as the green consumed her. Determination, weapon, anger… _Threat._

Before he could make it any closer, he found himself sailing back through the air as a jolt of green collided with his armoured chest. The first thought that ran through his mind was  _Loki_. But he knew that wasn't possible as the memory of his brother dying in his arms resurfaced. The sorrow that had come with it mixed with the anger that he had already felt, and he remembered that he was just attacked and that it could mean that his friends in the tower were also threatened. So when he stood he threw all caution to the wind, and with a loud roar also threw his hammer at the dark outline of his attacker.

Ashley heard the powerful roar that the man had released, and she knew then that he was definitely a threat. It was too dark for either of them to make out each others features, and the rain only further clouded their vision. But she was not blind, and the clear outline of the weapon that was heading straight for her had her hastily raising her hands in defence.

The scowl on his face deepened as he watched Mjölnir sail through the air only to come to a stop when it hit a powerful green barrier. Wisps of green power slithered around in the air as the mighty weapon was halted for the first time that he had ever seen. This of course only added fuel to the fire, and he was sure that if anyone he knew were to currently see him, they would automatically be reminded of the reckless Thor that had been banished from Asgard four years earlier. Another green jolt was sent his way, but he rolled out of its path as he summoned Mjölnir to him once more.

Ashley had felt the… _what is that, a hammer?_  Hit the barrier, and if she hadn't increased the barrier's strength rapidly, there was no doubt that it would have easily made it through.  _That's a first_. She was surprised to see the weapon once again return to the man's outstretched hand, and watched in shocked awe as he bellowed once more, and raised his hammer wielding fist in the air. The man was struck by lightning, the waves of electricity flowing up and down his body in waves, and congregating at the head of the hammer. She was caught completely off-guard as he pointed the hammer at her and sent the bolt straight towards her, and she knew she didn't have any time to form another barrier -without losing control. So she did the only thing she could think of and reached out with her hand, ready and waiting for the contact.

Thor had enough of this stranger's games, and decided to show just why he was known as the God of Thunder. The lightning that he had summoned was sent hurtling straight at his attacker, and he watched in confusion as the figure merely raised a hand in defence. What happened next had completely stunned him.

Ashley felt the energy enter her skin, it warmed her very blood as she absorbed every inch of it into the palm of her hand. The white of the electricity was in clear sparks around her hand but the further it travelled up her arm, the greener the waves became. She could sense the confusion gushing from his figure, and watched as he finally lowered his hammer and stopped the flow of energy.  _My turn._

The Norse god watched as the green sparks danced around the thin frame of his attacker, and his blonde brows furrowed when both arms shot forward, only to widen when two bolts of emerald lightning escaped the open palms. He had felt his feet leave the ground, as he was thrown from the edge of the tower, and he could have sworn that he had heard the faint sound of a shout.

* * *

"ASHLEY, NO!"

The shout had surprised her, and after the threat was sent plummeting to the ground she turned to look at Steve. She only noticed that the light inside were on when she saw the super-soldier running towards her. The whole team, except for Wanda, had assembled and looked completely dumbstruck at the events that had just transpired. They had heard the commotion, Thor was never a particularly quiet person to be around, and the thunder had woken Pietro long before the fight had even began. The team hadn't seen the whole encounter, but they were all terrified for the girl when they saw how much lightning the god had thrown her way. Their fear for her completely made them forget that her gift would protect her from any form of energy, including electrical.

Ashley's eyes widened as she took in the expression on their faces, and it was only then that Tony ran forward and pulled her out of the rain -which she had completely forgotten she was standing in- by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She barely noticed Steve jogging over to the edge of the building to search for the falling man, and before she could give him her full attention, Tony snapped his fingers in her face.

"You with me kiddo?" She nodded in response, as her eyes looked to his own worried ones. He backed up and held her at arms length, by the shoulders, inspecting every inch of her. "You hurt?" she shook her head 'no'. "Scared?" again, no. "Hungry?" This time Natasha swatted his head and pulled the girl from Tony's grasp, the latter of which gave a small 'ow' at the contact. Natasha pulled her into the warmth of the room, asking Pietro to find them some clean towels in the process. She urged Ashley to sit on the footrest she had sat on during their 'interrogation', and she did. Natasha tugged at her drenched hood, silently telling her to remove it. When she finally did, Ashley wrapped her arms around her body in a poor attempt to gain some warmth.

"What just happened?" Although she had participated in the events, she couldn't quite wrap her head around the team's lack of alertness.  _They would have been pummelled by that guy!_

"That was Thor, he's an Avenger too."

_Or not._

"Oh god, I'm so sorry…I-I thought-"

"Hey it's ok. He's fine, I promise. You're the one that we were worried about, not many people intentionally throw down with a god." The redhead gave her a small smirk.

"With a what?"  _A god? What the hell is she talking about?_  Natasha just gave her that knowing smile that she had perfected.

"He's a Norse god. You know, Thor God of Thunder?" She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but Ashley was struggling to come to terms with the fact that apparently gods were real. Though the fact that he had tried to electrocute her suddenly made a lot more sense.

"You're being serious right, like…this isn't just some prank you guys throw on the newbie is it?" This time a snicker came from her left and she flinched when she noticed that Pietro had returned with the towels.

"If powers like yours, or like mine and my sister's exist…why can't a god?" The patronising way he had said the comment had really made her feel stupid, and she scowled at him when Natasha left her side to take the towels from him.

"Ok, point taken…ass." He cocked a brow and gave her a condescending smirk before walking over to where Tony, Steve and Clint now stood, talking to 'Thor'.  _When the hell did he get here?_  She took the moment to observe 'Thor'. He was tall. Taller than anyone else in the room, with long blonde hair and a short beard that stretched from one ear to the other. His clothes, or rather armour, was mainly silver with a long royal red cape attached to his broad shoulders. He was smiling at something Tony had said, and she would admit that it wasn't a bad sight. _Who am I kidding? He's a good-looking guy!_

Natasha had watched the exchange between the youngsters and chuckled at the obvious tension between them.  _Like water and oil, but so similar at the same time_. Ashley heard the sound and tore her attention from the group of men to look at the assassin once again.

"How can you even live in the same building with him?" Her question was referring to the eldest Maximoff.

"I guess he grows on you." the redhead replied boredly.

"Yeah, like a damn fungus." This time, the responding laugh showed Natasha's stunning smile, and Ashley couldn't help but feel proud that she had made the assassin -who barely even smiled- grin like that.

The younger girl suddenly grew quiet as she thought of the dislike Thor would probably have for her now. If Pietro had been bad, then imagine how difficult it would be to earn a  _god's_  trust and approval. Natasha noticed the solemnity that had washed over the girl and even though she usually wouldn't care for other people's problems, she spoke up anyway.

"What's on your mind?"

Ashley met her elder's green gaze, before motioning towards the group of men on the other side of the room. Natasha's eyes turned in that direction and she slightly narrowed them in question.

"Do you think he's mad at me?" The assassin hid her knowing smirk this time, she already knew exactly what Thor would do. She opened her mouth to speak, but changed what she was going to say in the last minute, when she noticed the god now walking towards them.

"I guess you're about to find out."

Ashley gulped when she saw Thor approaching, and she pulled the towel tighter around her when she stood up to face him. She was not prepared for the grin that broke out across his face, and she certainly wasn't prepared for the bone-crushing hug she was pulled into when he finally reached her. Her feet were off the ground and her arms were still holding her towel, and pinned to her chest with the strength of his hug. A few chuckles were heard around the room, as the team watched her eyes widen to a comical size when she was lifted by the broad god. She felt his chest vibrate as he too joined them in laughing.  _Didn't see that one coming._

"Lady Ashley! You have my sincerest apologies, and my highest praises. You are a worthy foe in battle!" She winced at the booming voice that had sounded from beside her right ear, and hoped that she wasn't blushing at his praises. He finally lowered her to the ground, and beamed as she slightly swayed with a stunned expression on her face. She looked up at his cheerful blue eyes.

"Uh, yeah…you too." She shuffled on the spot not quite liking all of the attention that they were giving her. He seemed happy with her response though, and clapped her on the back, making her stumble forward with the strength.

"It pleases me that we are on good terms." His blue eyes scanned the room, and his blonde eyebrows clenched together when they landed on Pietro. "Where is Lady Wanda?"

"She's staying at the facility for the next few days." Ashley looked to Natasha, she was unaware of that information, and she even felt a slight sadness at knowing that the girl wouldn't be there with her for the days to come. But before she could say anything Tony decided to speak.

"I hate to cut this little reunion short, but its 4 in the morning and unlike me, you all need your beauty sleep." Ashley rolled her eyes at him, but the group were all tired from the day, and the past hour had been particularly taxing for Ashley so they all agreed with the genius anyway.

After they all went their separate ways, Ashley had changed out of her damp clothing and slipped on a new set of pyjamas. This time when she crawled into her bed sleep came easy, and all thoughts of the past were far out of her reach.

 


	8. Chapter 8

It was a cold morning. The storm from the previous night had left that distinct smell of rain behind, but the sun was just starting to peak out from behind the clouds to warm the crisp air. It was still early, barely 7 o'clock, but Natasha had always been an early riser. It was part of the job description. Whatever sleep she did manage to get always lacked that depth that made it really enjoyable, she had been trained to be alert and prepared at all times, and sleep was no exception. If by the odd chance she had managed to slip into the deeper form of sleep, her mind was usually plagued by distant memories that her waking mind had repressed long ago.

Yes, she was an assassin, and yes, she was trained extensively for that reason. But that had never really mattered when it came to the memories. They were something unique. Something you could alter in your mind to create a semblance of relief, or to banish whatever regret haunted you, and yet they were entirely unchangeable at the same time. It was that quality that made them so hopeful, and so destructive to the human mind. Training couldn't prepare anyone for the horror. They had taught her to ignore the pain, to ignore the morals, so that it might make the tasks easier to perform. _Detach your mind from all you know, until the only thing that remains are your orders_. But it was never really that simple was it? Well it had been in the past, but the past few years had made her question that too.

She was used to it, it was her job and it was basic instinct by now. Like when a doctor saves a life, only she did the opposite. But despite all that, the only thing that had been keeping her up at night was the one thing she regretted most of all.  _Where was he?_  She should have told him. She should have told him how much she cared about him, how much better he made her, how much better they made  _each other_. She finally felt as though she had a purpose in life, besides killing. She finally thought that she could bring someone happiness rather than dread. But he was gone. He left her, and it was the most painful thing that she had ever had to endure. The torture, the fear, the pain…it was nothing compared to what she had felt when he disconnected that video call.

It was those thoughts that had tormented her for months, and it was those thoughts that drove her out of the tower early every morning. She sat on one of the chairs, staring at the city before her but not really seeing anything but the memories flashing through her mind. Her arms were wrapped around her stomach, unconsciously gripping the pale robe that shielded her from the cool air, while the fiery red strands of her hair danced in the harsh wind. The glazed over eyes that had rested beneath her clenched brows, had a pink hue to them, an obvious sign of her inner suffering.

This is how Ashley had found the former assassin, when she left her bedroom and entered the foyer. Like Natasha, she was still wearing her pyjamas from the previous night, with a fluffy green robe covering them to keep the warmth in. Her slipper-clad feet moved silently across the tiled floor, and she knew something was troubling the older woman when she didn't even notice Ashley's approach.

"You're doing an awful lot of thinking. Too much for this early in the morning." The words were spoken in a light-hearted tone, and she gave the older woman a smile when her head snapped left to see who had interrupted her thoughts. Natasha blinked her watery eyes, and regained her mask of indifference as she took in the sleepy form of the newcomer. She watched her move closer to sit beside her, and was glad when she didn't say any else on the matter. For a while they just sat in silence, both gazing out into the city, where the sounds of New York came together in the cacophony of urban life.

"You're up earlier than I thought you would be." Ashley hadn't expected her to talk at all, so she looked at her in surprise when she did. "I doubt you got much sleep last night."

"Likewise. But then again, I doubt you get much sleep any night." This had certainly gained the former assassins attention, and she stared at the girl with barely concealed surprise, and a hint of insult, not knowing in which way to take that comment. Ashley just gave her a knowing smile. "You know, you remind me a lot of my sister." This time her surprise was clear on her face, because much like everyone else (besides Pietro) Natasha had not known that Ashley had a sister.

"She is the strongest person I know. The bravest and toughest person in the world…well, to me she is anyway." She spoke with a fond smile and a reminiscent tone that had Natasha curious to hear more. "I was nothing like her, and I think that's why she liked me so much. She hated what she saw when she looked in the mirror, so she was glad that we were opposites. She didn't want me to face the same horrors that she had to, so she took care of me like only a big sister could." Natasha's stare turned back to the city, just as Ashley turned her own to the woman beside her. "I always thought my mask was convincing, but man, that was nothing compared to the one she wore…to the one  _you_  wear." Natasha's eyes narrowed in concentration, trying to think of anything but the words of the girl next to her.  _How was someone who had only known her for 4 days reading her so easily?_

"I'm not sure I know what you mean." Her flat tone earned her a playful chuckle.

"I figured you'd say that. You're both survivors, wearing your masks with pride so that you don't have to answer for all that you've done. And yeah, that works for a while…but then the day comes when you no longer have to wear it, and when it finally slips off you're not ready to answer for anything." Natasha grit her teeth throughout the small speech, doing everything in her power to not show the effect the words were having on her.

"What's your point, kid?"

"My point is that it hurts like a bitch, but as soon as you deal with the demons of the past, you can start focusing on the future. I get it, you've probably done a lot in your life that you're not too proud to admit. But the world goes on with or without you, it's your choice…just know that the people here, the ones that care about you, go with it too…and even if you think you can go at it alone without their help, theres no guarantee that they can go on without you." Her gaze fell to the floor, as she absorbed what the girl was saying.

"I'll keep that in mind." Ashley nodded in response, hauling her self up from her seat and stretching her back out, before turning her head to look at the former assassin once more.

"Well I gotta go, Tony's taking me out for lunch and I need to get ready. Don't stay out here too long, the sun might be out but the wind up here's a bitch." Natasha finally smirked at the girl, finding it amusing that she would care over such a small thing. But she nodded in response anyway, and watched as the doors closed behind her when she stepped inside. She shook her head and gave a small smile.

"You're not half bad, kid."

* * *

"Where are you going?"

After she left Natasha to her thoughts, Ashley had eaten a quick cereal breakfast and spent about the next four hours lounging around in her room. She had finally gotten around to inspecting the bookshelf and was pleased with the selection available to her. So naturally, she lost track of time and only had about half an hour to get ready before she would leave to have lunch with Tony. Knowing it was cold outside, she picked out some dark jeans, a pair of boots and wore a cream over-sized knitted sweater to keep warm. The outfit wasn't too shabby, but it wasn't flashy either. She had never really been one to put much thought into appearance, and Tony hadn't told her the dress code, so she chose something that looked decent but was comfortable at the same time.

She had been sitting out in the foyer alone, patiently waiting for Tony while playing with the hem of her sweater in boredom. And that's exactly how Pietro had found her when he finally woke up for the day. She would never understand how someone could sleep for so long, it was almost 12 o'clock for crying out loud! She looked up at him when she sensed his energy, and it seemed as if he was disappointed for some reason. She smiled when she realised that he was trying to sneak up on her, and that his disappointment stemmed from being noticed so quickly. But nevertheless, he made his way over and flopped onto the couch facing her, sprawling across its entire length in the process. He was wearing blue tracksuit pants and a plain white t-shirt, and his dishevelled hair and sleepy face made it quite obvious that he had  _literally_  just left his bed. She raised an eyebrow at him, not quite accustomed to his casual behaviour when in her presence, but he just stared at her with heavy-lidded eyes and that emotionless expression that he seemed to have saved specifically for her.

"Going out with Tony." This time it was his eyebrows that raised. Realising how it sounded, she quickly offered an explanation.

"For lunch, you know? I haven't really been out in a while, and this is my first time in New York." Her head bobbed up and down uncomfortably and she shifted as he continued to stare at her. "We're actually meeting with someone, I don't really know who. But you're welcome to join us if you want…I mean, I'm sure Tony won't mind…"  _Well, that was awkward_. She was rambling, and she knew it. She hated people staring at her, it unnerved her and made her feel like she was on display at the circus or something.

But thankfully Pietro just gave a breathy laugh and lowered his gaze. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the couch behind him, exhaling deeply before opening his eyes again.

"I guess that's a no, right?" He just hummed in response. She didn't like this. It was strange, and unlike him to not look at her like she was the biggest pain in his ass. In fact, she kind of preferred it when he treated her like that, at least it was expected. Deciding to take the attention off of herself she asked him a question of her own.

"What are you doing today?" If he was surprised that she had asked, he didn't show it. He just shrugged briefly, and folded his arms across his chest. She realised that it was something he did often, and she couldn't quite decide if it was defensive, or just out of habit. "Sounds exciting." She rolled her eyes. If he wasn't going to bother talking than neither would she.

"Why did you fight Thor last night?" The question had definitely thrown her off, and it showed on the expression she wore.

"Well, what would you do if you were in my place?" He took a moment to think about it, not quite understanding what that had to do with answering his question, but he would see where this led him. So far his technique of being 'nicer' to her was going well, and if he wanted more information he would continue to do so.

"I probably would have done the same, but…" He trailed off, not wanting to make the conversation uncomfortable with what he had planned to say.

"But…what?" She leaned forward, encouraging him to continue.

"Do not be insulted, but you have no one here to protect." Her brows furrowed in a flurry of emotions, but from what he could see, anger was not one of them. Still, he was relieved to hear a light laugh come from her, reinforcing that deduction.

"Oh really? And what exactly is Tony? or Steve? Natasha? Clint?…You?" She looked down to the floor as she whispered the last word. Not really ready to admit that she had held some fear for his safety too.

That caught his attention.  _Me?_  Had she been scared for him? He knew she would protect the others, she genuinely seemed to like them and he knew that if Wanda was present she would without a doubt protect her too. Despite his warnings and disapproval, Wanda had been eager to befriend Ashley, and even though he was glad that she had made a friend for the first time in a while, he had let his dislike of the woman get the better of him. Knowing that Wanda had someone to spend time with other than himself had been unusual at first, but it was refreshing to have some time to himself. He loved his sister, she was everything to him, and that's why he was so protective of her. He hadn't liked Ashley, and maybe he still didn't, but at least they had one thing in common. They would both fight to protect Wanda. He opened his mouth to voice some of his thoughts, but he was beaten to it.

"Look, I know you don't get me and I know we don't exactly like each other…but I'm not some animal. The people I care about will be protected no matter what. I don't care if it's Tony, or Wanda or even you," she leaned even closer, and met his blue gaze. "You guys pretty much saved me. There's nothing I won't do to repay that favour, even if you don't believe me…I do give a damn, and I would never hurt any of you again. Hell, I could have killed every last HYDRA agent I came into contact with, but I didn't…so why would I hurt you guys?"

He could see and hear the sincerity that came with her words, and he honestly didn't know what to say. Luckily he didn't have to say anything.

"Honey! I'm hom- oh, am I interrupting something?" Tony's dark eyes flickered back and forth between the two youngsters, who hadn't even realised how close they had shuffled together during their little chat. He cocked an eyebrow, and chewed on the inside of his cheek to prevent the smirk that was threatening to appear.

"Nope, you ready Scrooge?" Ashley had pushed off of the couch while she spoke and had walked over to the doorway where Tony had stopped. He narrowed his eyes at the nickname, and gave her a small smirk instead of commenting on it. It was a knowing smirk that promised mischief, and she didn't like it one bit. Ashely was glad to see that he too had chosen a pair of jeans, matching it with a long sleeved black shirt, and a brown leather jacket. He clapped his hands together and smiled at her.

"Sure am, oh and we'll be making a pit stop on our way. Hope you don't mind."

Even if she did mind, she knew it wouldn't matter. This was Tony Stark, and things always went his way, it was a quality that gained him a lot of respect. Not to mention that she was eager to see as much of the city as possible, now that there wasn't the constant threat of HYDRA lurking around every corner.

"Whatever you say, boss." He looked back to Pietro at her words, a smug look on his face.

"See? Why can't all of my employees be this amazing?" Pietro just rolled his eyes, and huffed out a response.

"We are not all your employees."

Tony didn't pay him much attention, there was obviously still tension between the Maximoff twins and the genius, even if Tony hadn't played a direct part in the death of their parents. But he knew it would take time for them to overcome whatever bad blood there was between them, and in the moment he was more than happy to focus his attention on Ashley rather than the Sokovians.

"Yeah, whatever." He removed his gaze from the boy who was slightly glaring at him and gave Ashley a dazzling smile, before bowing and flamboyantly waving his arm in the direction of the elevator. "My lady, your chariot awaits you." The pompous British accent he had adopted caused her to burst out laughing, but she acquiesced anyway, giving a small wave to Pietro and mumbling something that sounded like 'you really are something else, Stark…' on her way out. Tony watched as she walked past, and turned his head to Pietro once more. His face warped into confusion when the boy's glare darkened. Shrugging it off, he followed the girl when he heard her calling out for him to hurry up.

Pietro just sat still for a moment. Tony Stark had ruined his life, he had ruined his sister's life. How could he act so carefree and pretend to be a saviour and hero, when it was his company and his weapons that had caused so much pain and destruction in the world? And on top of that, he was  _clearly_  using the girl. He had never shown such interest in anyone who had come through the Avengers facility, and now all of a sudden he cared for a complete stranger? All he wanted was the power she offered, and that disgusted Pietro. How did that make him any different from HYDRA? They wanted the exact same thing, only Tony was smart enough to not try and take it by force. He was treating her like she was his long lost daughter or something. Her room was bigger than anyone else's and he let her do whatever she wanted around the tower. When Pietro and Wanda first appeared, he wanted nothing to do with them and more importantly, when they were allowed to stay, he made sure J.A.R.V.I.S had every camera in the tower monitoring their movements for weeks.

He wasn't jealous. No. It's the fact that Stark was disrespectful enough to try and buy the girl's affection and cooperation. The only problem was that she had mistaken his true intent for genuine care, and it didn't feel right to watch Stark manipulate someone who had lost just as much as he and his sister had, if not more.  _What a mess_. Now the one person he didn't want anything to do with, was the one he had to keep an eye on along with his sister. He sighed in annoyance, and dragged himself from the couch, thinking of only one thing he could do to get his mind off of its current course.  _Time for some training._

* * *

"So, where are we heading?"

Ashley couldn't hide the happiness in her voice, she had never been to New York and the fact that they were out and about, driving around Manhattan -in an orange Audi R8 no less- had her giddy with excitement. Tony glanced at her when she asked and noted the smile on her face. He was glad that she could find some joy after all that she had been through, and he was proud that he was the one that could make that happen for her. He couldn't deny that the main reason he wanted her working for him was for the power she offered, but the more time he spent around the girl, the more he noticed that she genuinely liked him as a person and not just as a celebrity. It was for that reason that he found himself liking the girl more and more, and would even consider her a friend to some extent. He wasn't stupid, and even though he believed he could trust her, he wasn't going to just spill all of his deepest and darkest secrets to her instantly.

But she was getting there, and he knew that Pepper would love her. Which is exactly why they were heading to her office, to pick her up for lunch.

"You'll see."

She wasn't too fond of all of the secrecy, but the excitement of actually going somewhere  _freely_  overpowered that by a long shot, so she didn't really care. She was staring out the window for most of the drive, taking in the concrete jungle of NYC, and that was when she notice the tall building with 'STARK INDUSTRIES' plastered across it. She turned to look at him questioningly, but he was too busy parking to notice.

Tony quickly jumped out of the car with Ashley hot on his heels. She barely heard the beeping of the car locks before Tony barged into the building like he owned the place.  _Oh, right…_  His entrance demanded the attention of all in the room, and the pretty blonde receptionist's eyes widened as she noticed her boss striding toward her.

Ashley hung back and admired the modern working space, while Tony spoke to the woman. Stark Industries was immaculate, maybe not as good as Avengers Tower, but still better than any other building in New York. There wasn't a doubt in her min-

"Excuse me, ma'am. Badge." She turned around to find a stocky black haired man in a suit tapping his ID badge urgently. She cocked a brow at him, not quite understanding what he wanted. He looked at her suspiciously, and she had to refrain from laughing at his scrutiny. When she made no move, the man reached up to his earpiece -which she noted, was not attached to anything- while keeping his wary eyes on her. "I've got a code red, if you could-"

"It's fine Happy, she's with me. We've had this conversation, harassment leads to lawsuits and lawsuits lead to…"

"Bad press, I-I didn't know she was with you. She doesn't have a badge. It's a basic rule. Easy to follow." His tone was imploring, as if he was asking Tony to understand the importance. His eyes moved from Tony to Ashley once more. "Everyone has to have a badge. I'll get one made up for you ASAP." He turned around as if looking for someone, before he noticed a man walking past him to get to the elevator. "Hey, you! Yeah you, get this woman a badge ASAP." The man, who was clearly an electrician, shot him an odd look, before shaking his head and stalking into the elevator.

Tony rolled his eyes at his friend's antics and shared an amused look with Ashley, while muttering a quick 'He does this all the time'.

"Hey Happy, you with me?" The man in question turned back around and gave Tony a nod of confirmation. "That's great, this is Ashley, she's a new lab assistant that I hired." He pointed to the girl beside him, before addressing her next. "Ashley, this is Happy Hogan, he's been a part of the company for a while, not to mention a close friend of mine." Happy puffed his chest out in pride after Tony's comment, much to Ashley's amusement.  _Funny guy…I like him_.

Ashley stuck her hand out in a more formal greeting, he eyed it in that same suspicious way he had looked at her previously and she couldn't help but grin at his behaviour. Slowly, he took the offered hand and gave it a firm shake. "Pleasure to meet you, Happy. You're no doubt the finest security Tony has." Tony covered up his chuckle with a fake cough, as Happy seemed to swell with even more pride than before. Shrugging nonchalantly, he held a self-approving look when he replied. It was adorable.

"Well, I guess you could say that. I mean Tony only hires the best of the best-"

"Tony!" All heads snapped in the direction of the voice who had called out, and Ashley was thankful for the interruption, her lips were quivering with the laughter that she was desperately trying to restrain at Happy's boasts.

A tall redhead was approaching them, not Natasha red, but a strawberry blonde sort of red that Ashley knew belonged to Pepper Potts. The woman was one of the most powerful women in the world, and she had been running Stark Industries far better than anyone expected, including herself.

Tony gave Pepper a smile which she warmly returned, before training her eyes on Ashley. Her smile widened as she took in the appearance of the girl before her. Tony had already informed her of his new  _lab assistant_ , and she was eager to meet the girl that had left such a good impression on the billionaire. It was a difficult thing to do, gaining Tony's trust. Ever since his kidnapping he had been hesitant to place much trust in anyone, considering that his father figure was the one that was behind it all. So it was good to see that there was finally someone outside of the Avengers that he had been able to be friends with.

"Hi, you must be Ashley. Nice to finally put a face to the name."

Ashley took the hand offered to her and gently shook it, giving the older woman a smile in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Potts."

Pepper glanced at Tony with an impressed expression. "You must be spending more time around Steve than Tony." Tony feigned hurt at her words while two women shared a laugh. Pepper linked her arm through Ashley's, surprising the younger woman, and led her out to the parking lot.

Tony looked on, before remembering that Happy was still beside him. His long-time friend was also watching the instant friendship that had just been formed.

"I should probably get going before they start scheming, shouldn't I?"

"Probably." he clapped him on the shoulder before walking away.

"Right. Work hard, pal!"

* * *

Tony had taken them to Cafe Riviera in Brooklyn, for lunch. It was a nice place with great food, especially the pastries, but the attention that they had received upon leaving the car was slightly overwhelming. Ashley knew that Tony was obviously famous, so she tried not to let the reporters and photographers bother her too much. After they entered they had ordered and chatted about anything and everything for about two hours, before deciding to leave. Pepper was adamant that she still had work to do, so they dropped her off at Stark HQ before showing Ashley around some of the more popular areas of New York.

Overall, it was an enjoyable day and she was grateful for Tony going out of his way to make it so. She really liked Pepper. The older woman was the very definition of sophistication, and she found it amusing at how she could keep Tony in line…well, most of the time.

It was 8 o'clock and they had only just reached the tower, and were riding the elevator up to the top floor. Ashley looked over at Tony, to see he was leaning back against the side of the elevator with his eyes closed.  _Does he ever sleep?_

"Hey, Tony?" His eyes opened and he looked at her without turning his head. "I just want to say thanks. I know you didn't really have a reason to help me, or trust me for that matter, but it means a lot to me. It really does." Tony just smiled.

"What are friends for kiddo?" In that moment the elevator doors had opened, allowing them to enter the foyer. Ashley barely registered the five sets of eyes that turned to look at them upon their arrival, the word that was bouncing around in her head was a large enough distraction.  _Friends_. She smiled to herself, and then remembered that there were others in the room who seemed to be waiting for her and Tony's arrival.

This time the armchair was taken by Natasha, while the two couches where occupied by the men. Pietro and Clint on one, and Thor and Steve took the other. Ashley moved to sit beside Steve, but she hadn't anticipated how tight of a fit it would be between the two bulky men, and her leg was pressed against Steve's when she sat down. The super soldier was still awkward around the opposite sex, so when Ashley noticed the blush that had overcome his features, she smirked and shuffled around to 'accidentally' press against him further. In her amusement she saw Natasha smirk, clearly knowing exactly what the younger girl was doing, and had to keep from laughing when Steve's face darkened a shade. However her fun died down, when she met the eyes of the person sitting opposite her. Pietro was not amused, and it showed in the dark eyebrow that he raised at her, combined with the eye roll that followed.

"'Bout time Stark, where the hell did you go? Malibu?" Tony narrowed his eyes at Clint's comment, plunking himself down between Pietro and Clint on the opposite couch. He spread out his arms and rested them on the couch, behind the two men sitting on either side of him. Ashley noticed the small shuffle that Pietro had done to distance himself from Tony, and frowned at the disapproving expression that had appeared on his face.  _What is it with these two?_

"Beverly Hills, actually. But hey, you were close." The snarky remark had put a smile on Ashley's face, while everyone else in the room seemed to roll their eyes at the quip. Tony noticed this and looked across from him where Ashley sat with a disappointed expression marring his features. "See? They don't appreciate my humour like you do." Ashley just shrugged her shoulders and raised her hands in a 'what can you do?' sort of way.

"Enough with the jokes, Stark. This is serious." It was Steve that had spoken, and Ashley's lips pulled into a frown at his words.  _What's going on?_

"Ok, out with it. What's the big deal?" Tony looked around the group, as if encouraging someone to step up and explain the situation to him. Strangely enough, it was the Norse god that spoke next.

"Heimdall has informed me of anomaly here on Midgard. He believes that the convergence has somehow allowed a portal between worlds to remain."

Ashley had no idea what was going on.  _Heimdall? Midgard? Convergence?_  So she sat quietly and waited until the god continued.

"It is imperative that we find this doorway, I fear the world will be at risk if we fail to do so." Tony raised his hands in a 'T' motion.

"Ok, timeout big guy. So you're saying that there is some alien portal…here. On Earth?"  _Oh that's what they're talking about…wait, what?_

"Indeed Tony. We must locate it swiftly, there is no telling how much chaos shall be wrought if the enemy discover it." The concern that laced his words was clear to all, and there was no doubt that they all agreed with the god. Tony slowly nodded at his words, not quite sure what to make of this new revelation.

"What if it already has?" Thor's gaze snapped to Ashley, and he frowned in thought. Her mind had gone straight to HYDRA, after he mentioned the 'enemy'.

"Then we must reclaim it, and prevent any further damage from being dealt." They all agreed on this as well, and that was all it took for Tony to jump up from his seat and start barking out orders to J.A.R.V.I.S.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, start a trace. Anything alien, or any readings that match the ones Jane Foster recorded two years ago. In fact, just use the same tracking algorithm."

" _Right away, sir_."

Tony beamed at the group. "In about," he looked down at his Rolex, "Six hours, we should have a location space cadets."  _Cue eye roll_. This only made his smile stretch even further, and he clapped his hands together much like he had earlier that day, before strutting to the elevator. "Fun chat, team. I'm out, you know where to find me."

"Will he  _ever_  take anything seriously?" It was the first thing Pietro had said since the meeting started, and it gained him five unsure hums that told him the answer that he already knew.

"Well I'm gonna go hit the gym, you three coming?" Clint looked to Natasha, Steve and Thor when he asked the question, and they all agreed to joining him, leaving the two youngest members in the room staring after their retreating forms.

Ashley turned to look at Pietro, who was sitting across from her…again. "Looks like this is becoming a common occurrence."

Pietro looked at her then, and his lips twitched in what could have been the world's fastest smirk. His expression turned darker when he remembered the thoughts that he had earlier that day, in regards to the billionaire and the girl in front of him.

"Woah, where'd you go?" He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her in confusion. So she elaborated. "That look you had just now…something on your mind?"

He shook his head, unwilling to mention his concerns. Even if he did, he knew that she would rather believe Stark, than himself, so what was the point? "No, just thinking about the tomorrow." She laughed lightly at his response.

"I don't know why, but I honestly thought you'd be a better liar than that." This time his smirk stayed in place, as he dropped his gaze to the floor. "So…are you going to spit it out, or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?" His eyebrows shot up, and he gave a small laugh at her teasing tone. She smile back at him, glad to finally be getting somewhere with the elder twin. He was tough nut to crack, but she was damn persistent. His face sobered as his laugh died down, and his stormy blue eyes met her own chocolate ones.

"I'm not sure you want to hear what I have to say." The words got rid of any humour that had been on her face, and she took a moment to think about what they had meant. _Does he still not like me? Is that what this is?_  She had genuinely been trying to be nicer towards him, after realising that they got off on the wrong foot. Was it not working?

The look on her face, had shown him exactly what she was thinking. "My problem is not with you…" He sighed as he trailed off, seeing that their was no other way around this situation, and he rubbed the back of his neck in contemplation. Ashley just stared at him, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"One day, when Wanda and I were children…We were having dinner with our parents. Nothing special, we did it every night before that, but never again after it." Her brows furrowed, but she didn't ask any of the questions running through her mind when she saw the haunted look on his face. "It happened so quickly…The first missile hit, and the floor fell from beneath us. I pulled Wanda under the bed with me, it was only then that I realised our parents were gone." He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memories. "The second one landed right in front of our eyes. We couldn't move, we couldn't breathe. We knew we going to die." He huffed out a humourless chuckle. "We waited two days, two days for the bomb to kill us, but it never did." He looked into her sympathetic eyes, before nodding his head in the elevators direction and continuing. "You want to know why I don't like him, you want to know why I call him  _Stark_?" But he didn't have to tell her, because she already figured it out.

"It was his missile." It wasn't a question, but he nodded anyway. "Pietro-"

"Don't." He held a hand up, but it was the stern tone that halted her words. "I didn't tell you this for sympathy, and I didn't tell you this because I trust you. I told you this because we are similar. We have dealt with HYDRA and we have lost our families, but Wanda and I have not forgotten what he has done to us, and we never will." She nodded in understanding, though she didn't know where he was going with this.

"HYDRA tried to experiment on you, just like they did with us. We are free now, no one is trying to use us for the powers we offer…Can you say the same about yourself?" His question struck her hard, and she got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach when she thought about it.  _Can she? Of course_. They had been nothing but kind to her.

"Do not mistake manipulation for kindness, that is all I am trying to tell you." It hurt to think about it.  _Was Tony only being nice to her for his own benefit?_  He couldn't be, he was her  _friend_ , he said so himself! But the uncertainty that Pietro had created had already rooted in her mind, and she gave him a nod.

Pietro was glad that he could warn her without her lashing out at him for even suggesting that her favourite person in the tower was only using her. Sensing that their conversation was over, he pushed himself up from the couch to walk to his room, but stopped when he felt a delicate hand wrap around half of his wrist and the influx of energy that came with it. He looked down at the source and waited for the impact. He recalled that every other time that she had touched him, he was sent hurtling across a room.  _Usually into a wall_ , he mentally added.

"Thank you." Her eyes were downcast, but the sincerity was in her words. She pulled herself up, still holding onto his arm, and gave him a small smile. "You know, you're not half bad. A little rough around the edges, but who isn't nowadays?" Her teasing tone was not lost on him, and he shook his head to hide the smirk. She finally let go of his arm, and stared at him with an unreadable expression. "I think you're right, we are pretty similar. That's why I get along with your sister so well. I know you still might not trust me, but it would mean a lot to me if there was no bad blood between us. I haven't really had many -or should I say any- friends in my life, besides my sister, but I'm trying to change that. We started out in a bad place, and I want to start over. Wanda has forgiven me...can you?"

he stared at her for a long time, the gears in his mind turning as each word replayed itself. Ashley had started fidgeting with the hem of her sweater again, not liking the unwavering stare that he had fixed on her.  _Why did he always have to do that to everyone?_  She flinched when his hand flew forward, not expecting the sudden movement, and she glanced at it before looking to his pale face once more.  _Was he serious?_

"Pietro Maximoff." She broke out in a grin, and joined their hands together in a shake. He was the only one whose hand she hadn't shaken during their first meeting, and it felt as if she had finally gained his approval in that moment.

"Ashley Conlon."

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

_Swing. Parry. Slice. Duck. Punch. Kick. Block. Disarm…Breathe._

_"_ _Not bad. Again."_

_The dark haired woman stood on the slideline, arms folded across her chest as her young charge practiced against one of her guards. She was pleased to see that the younger girl had indeed been practising in her spare time, and had taken the advice given after each session in order to improve her fighting style. She was small and quick, of course she was only seven years old and would grow, but the main thing was that she was learning the benefits of using size and speed against a larger opponent. Her movements were precise, but there was still plenty of room for improvement; There was no such thing as a perfect fighter._

_She repeated the motions and held her own quite well against the trained guard. It was expected, her sister was the best fighter available, and she would be trained accordingly._

_Her sister wore a small smile as she watched her disarm the man once more. It was a proud moment for her. She had never had anyone rely on her as much as the youngster that now stood beaming in success, nor did she have anyone care about her as much. It was for this reason that she had cared very little for everyone_ _**but** _ _her younger sister._

_"_ _Well done, Az. You're showing improvement."_

_The girl shuffled over to her sister, trying to catch her breath after her exertion and smiling at the nickname._

_"_ _Will I be able to use the real knives soon?" Her chocolate coloured eyes lit up at the prospect, pleading for the opportunity. The older woman simply gave a half-smile at her enthusiasm. But her eyes showed her conflicted thoughts. The last thing she wanted was her little sister becoming a killer like her. She was raised with the horrors, so when she was assigned as the younger girl's guardian, she vowed to do the opposite for her. She would not subject her to the same terror…to the same_ _**fear** _ _, that she had to face on a daily basis when she was growing up._

_So she took her under her wing, and taught her to defend herself. She would fight back when attacked, but NEVER initiate a fight herself. This was the message that she had drilled into the girl since day one of her training. And it was the lesson that she would never forget. She would never forgive herself if the youngster one day woke up and couldn't even look at her own reflection...just like she couldn't._

_"_ _We'll see. Right now your going to-" But she didn't get to finish her sentence, as the metal doors that led to their training area were forced open, and one of their father's guards entered the room. The guards themselves were only there to ensure no harm came to the young girl, her father was more than capable of defending himself if need be._

_"_ _Master is asking for the girl." His cold blue eyes glared at the elder woman, before turning to the youngster. He held a large gun that was hung over his shoulder by a strap, and was dressed entirely in black. His face was handsome, but the snarl that marred his features and the ugly personality he had, did little to aid that. The dark blue glower remained in tact as the older sister spoke._

_"_ _What does he want with her?" She fixed him with her own glare, one that had sent the toughest of men running for the hills. But the guard was undeterred._

_"_ _He demands her presence in the interrogation room, would you defy his order?" She smirked at his words. Trying to intimidate her would get him nowhere. Despite what everyone thought, she was still ranked highly in her father's regard, and he would favour her over everyone but the younger girl in the room._

_"_ _I'll take her myself." The guard's jaw clenched and his grip tightened on the gun he was holding, not quite happy with the decision._

_"_ _i assure you that I am more than capab-"_

_"_ _Would you defy_ _**my** _ _order?" The woman uncrossed her arms, and the threatening step she took forward was enough to silence any further objections. So he merely turned on his heels and stormed out of the room._

_She felt a something warm brush up against her hand, and looked down to the source. The wide brown eyes that looked back at her, broke her heart every time._ _**Why did the world give such an innocent girl this fate?** _ _She smiled down at her, and was relieved to see that it was convincing enough, when the girl returned it. She gripped onto the small hand that had slithered its way into her hold, and gave a small squeeze of reassurance._ _**It'll all be ok** _ _._

_Releasing a deep but silent breath, she walked forward, leading the girl behind her to her 'father'._

_When they finally reached the door that led to the interrogation room, the elder woman hesitantly knocked on the large metal doors. The doors opened instantly, and she slowly stepped into the darkened space. The only light source was in the centre of the room, hanging from the ceiling about ten metres from the entrance, and shining down on the slack form of a dirty and scruffy man._

_The room was so dark that the corners and walls were entirely hidden from sight, and from first glance anyone would think that only three people stood inside it. The man in the chair was violently shivering, but it was definitely not from the temperature of the room. His pained whimpers gave that away. His pale and dirt covered skin was covered in a sheen of sweat and his eyes were screwed shut, refusing to open even when the he heard the doors swing shut._

_The older woman tightened her grip on the girl's hand, keeping her smaller body hidden behind her protectively. Her gaze travelled around the room, before it landed on the man when she deemed it safe. her whole body tensed when she heard the familiar voice call out from the shadows._

_"_ _Nice of you to join us."_

_She bowed her head at her father's words, a sign of respect, and a display of her inferiority. After all, she was the second weakest now in the room, and that spoke volumes of her current position. Her father stayed in the shadows, his voice was the only thing that gave away his position in the far right hand corner of the room._

_"_ _Come forward, child."_

_She took a single step forward at his command, but halted as he spoke once more._

_"_ _Not you. My youngest." His words sent a panic through the woman, but she displayed no outward signs of this. Slowly, she released the girl's hand, and watched as the youngster walked forward without missing a beat. She had never been scared of her adoptive father. He had always treated her well, and more importantly, she had the power to protect herself if need be. Those were the only thoughts that kept the woman's fears at bay, and she tried to slacken her tense shoulders._

_When the child stepped forward, the man in the corner half stepped out of the shadows. The pale light gave him an incredibly menacing appearance, as his broad figure and eerie features were only partially illuminated. As he approached the girl, he held out a large hand for her to take, and she didn't even hesitate in taking it. Her childish naivety prevented her from seeing just how dangerous of a man he was, and he wouldn't have it any other way._

_He gave her a smile that matched his sinister appearance, and she returned it with a small innocent one of her own. He approached the man that was still whimpering in his binds, pulling her with him in the process. The 'prisoner' seemed to shake even more, when he sensed the presence that now stood towering over him, and the girl frowned at the sight._

_"_ _Traitors. They don't have enough courage to stand beside you, so they try to fight against you._ _**Try** _ _. I don't tolerate traitors." His bright eyes were dark with ill intent, and he grinned at the man who had begun struggling in his binds. "_ _**We** _ _don't tolerate traitors." He looked to the girl beside him during his last statement, only to receive slightly puzzled look in return._ _**Ah, innocence…disgusting.** _

_He tugged her arm forward, positioning her between himself and the prisoner, and placed his hands on top of her small shoulders. The girl just stared at the mess of a man before her, her small brows furrowed over her dark eyes, not quiet knowing what was happening at that moment._

_"_ _This is the future. This is the bane of every man's existence, and you have the honour of being the first to fall."_

_The woman, who was still standing beside the entrance paled at her father's words. She had tried so hard to keep her from this life. The life of a killer._ _**Oh, no…Please.** _

_As if hearing her thoughts the prisoner stared at the little girl with pleading eyes, mumbling 'please, no!' over and over, desperately hoping to get through to her. It looked as if it would deter her, but her father was having none of it._

_"_ _Do it child, just like you have practiced." The order wasn't stern, in fact it had a hint of pride in it. Glad that he would finally be able to show off his greatest success…his youngest child._

_The girl raised her eyes to meet his, a hint of nervousness showing on her small face. "But father…I haven't done it on a person before." Her words were met with a smirk, and he simply patted her shoulders in reassurance._

_"_ _Then consider this your first lesson. A single life is a small price to pay, to protect what we care about." When he saw the lingering doubt on her face he continued in the only way he knew she would understand. "Do you care about your sister?" She looked over to the woman beside the door, who forced her lips into a small and pained smile, knowing exactly what the man was about to do._

_The girl looked back to him and nodded vehemently, as if to ensure he knew just how much she cared about her big sister. He smiled at the response, but it dropped as he continued talking._

_"_ _This man would have killed her. Tell me child, if she had died and you could have prevented her death...would you?"_

_"_ _Yes, father." Her voice was strong and her answer swift; she would never allow any harm to come to her sister if it was within her power to prevent it. And for a moment she didn't appear to be a child at all, the dark mood of the room combined with the weight of what was about to occur, had stripped her of her childish nature. This was a weapon, not a child._

_"_ _Then prove it."_

_And that was all it took._

_With a look of determination on her youthful face, the girl lifted her small hand and placed it on the man's exposed flesh. The white glow that followed seeped into his skin._

_And then the screaming started._

* * *

" _Sir, the readings you asked me to obtain are complete_."

"Super duper, J.A.R.V.I.S, you got a location for me?"

" _I do believe that they originated on a small island in Greenland, sir._ " Tony frowned at the information.  _Greenland?_  He hadn't known what to expect, but it wasn't Greenland. Nevertheless, this was important so he couldn't care less where the readings came from, they just needed to find the portal.

"Closest city?"

" _There is a small town called Nord, two miles north of the site_." He gave a small chuckle.  _Nord, how…fitting_.

"Of course there is. Thanks buddy. Oh and round up the troops, it's going to be a long day."

" _Certainly, sir._ "

* * *

J.A.R.V.I.S had done exactly as Tony had requested, but there was one person in the building who didn't seem too thrilled at the prospect of going on a mission that day, which is why Tony found himself summoning Ashley to his lab while he fiddled with a machine he had been working on for the past few weeks.

"Explain it to me again. Why exactly do you need me there?"

Tony rolled his eyes at her question, but he never once looked up at the brunette, who was apparently in a less than friendly mood. He understood that she was hesitant to get involved in a mission so soon after meeting them, and he understood that she was unaware of what to expect. But he had already been through it with Ashley twice, and he wasn't too fond of her refusal to participate.

"Because you're a beacon of energy, and we might be slightly outnumbered." The sarcastic comment was expected, but he failed to notice her body tense at his words, as her discussion with Pietro danced through her mind.  _No one is trying to use us for the powers we offer…can you say the same about yourself?_

"That hasn't stopped you before. In fact, the statistics are in your favour!"

He merely shrugged in reply, as he continued tinkering with the machine in front of him. "Not the point kid. We need you, there is possibly an unstable portal out there, and I hate to break it to ya…but you're the only one out of us, with the ability to shut it down."

Her face scrunched up in confusion.  _Shut down a portal? Yeah...easy peasy!_  Ashley had been in a foul mood ever since she was startled out of her dreamworld by the screams of the prisoner. It was a particular memory that she had often tried to forget, but was forced to experience every now and then in her dreams. And she hated it. She would always avoid human interaction after those types of dreams, even though she knew she wouldn't hurt anyone without provocation, she hated the thought of being around anyone.

"What? How?…and make sure it's in English, please." He gave her an impatient glance, not wanting to have to explain it to her, but he humoured her anyway after hearing her tempered voice.

"Portal make energy. Energy bad. Ashley absorb energy. No more portal." She glared at the condescending tone, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.

"I said English, not caveman, you ass." He rolled his eyes in good humour, after taking in her agitated stance.

"Po-TA-to, po-ta-to." Her glare lessened, noting his joking nature, but she still didn't want any part in the mission.

"And if I refuse?" The humour dropped from his face. He knew he would have to emphasise just how terribly the mission could end if she wasn't there to deal with the portal, but sometimes simplicity was the most effective option.

"Then even the statistics won't be able to help us." She felt he was being over-dramatic, but the possibility of her new group being in danger was over-coming the thoughts that reassured their safety. Sighing in surrender, she focused her exasperated stare on him, and pouted like a child.

"Ugh…fine. You know, sometimes I wonder why I ever agreed to work with you in the first place!" He smirked at her small temper tantrum, but noted the joking tone she had adopted.

" _For_. Work  _for_  me, Consuela." She stifled a chuckle, and rolled her eyes at him instead, not willing to let him off the hook so easily. So she turned around and headed for the door, she would need to get ready for the trip, and thats exactly what she intended to do. Let's be honest, the cardigan and flats that she had picked out for the day, weren't exactly the best thing to fight in.

"And then you wonder why I call you 'Scrooge'".

* * *

Ashley had managed to find some black military cargo pants in her wardrobe, and opted to wear a plain black form-fitting long-sleeved shirt on top. It was light and easy, and it wouldn't constrict her movements like she thought Natasha's suit would. Of course she had also taken everything and anything she could find that was thermal. Greenland was damn cold, and there was no way she was going without at least 3 layers of clothing.

Two hours later, the team had found itself aboard the very same quinjet that they had picked Ashley up in, in Russia. They were all silent, none of them being particularly fond of early morning chatter. Natasha and Clint were once again playing pilot, while Tony lounged around, in one of the comfy chairs that he had installed. Pietro was also sitting down, leaning his head back and shutting his eyes in an ill-attempt of finding rest. Thor and Steve were silently sitting on the opposite side of the jet with Ashley, until the woman decided to break the long stretch of silence.

"So you're from Asgard?"

Thor turned his head at the mention of his home, and gave her a proud smile and a nod of confirmation. "Indeed, my lady. It has been my home for many years."

Ashley smiled. She had read plenty of books while with HYDRA, and the majority of those were based on mythology. Whether it was Greek, Egyptian or Norse, she had thoroughly enjoyed reading the texts, and was excited to ask him about his home. She took this opportunity to do so, as Steve excused himself from the conversation to formulate a plan with the two assassins.

"I've read about it in a bunch of books while I was with HYDRA, can you tell me what it's like?"

Her request obviously pleased him, if his bright grin was anything to go by, and she shuffled closer in anticipation.

"Asgard is a realm of great beauty. The Earth is beautiful also, but the beauty I speak of can come only from the realm eternal. We Asgardians have had far longer to perfect our crafts than the men of Earth, so it is only natural that it shows in the difference in appearance." That was understandable. They had been alive much longer than human populations, and they had a ridiculously longer life span that allowed them to learn and create much more than the average human could.

"The realm is bright with both sunshine and joy, and the royal palace is made entirely of gold, with a bridge of extraordinary colour and mesmerising beauty that leads to its very gates. It is a sight to behold, one that I believe many would enjoy seeing."  _A golden palace?_  She didn't doubt the beauty of the realm after hearing that, and she let him know it. They had continued to share stories of their past and Asgard, when a thought occurred to Ashley.

"Wait a minute, if Asgard exists and you're here…does that mean Loki is real too?" She noticed his spine stiffening at the question, and regretted asking it when she saw the sad look on his face.

"I'm sorry, I shou-"

"No, it is quite alright. I just…It has been a long time since I have spoken of my brother." He looked into her eyes and she lowered her gaze, not liking the hurt she saw marring his features. He was a joyful person from what she had gathered, always happy for some reason. This was an unusual change in demeanour that she never wanted to get used to, so she attempted to lighten the mood.

"He was my favourite." Thor looked at the woman in confusion.

"Loki. No offence, but he was my favourite Norse god that I had read about. I think I could appreciate his pranks. They're usually funny, and funny people are my favourite people." She smile at him when his expression lightened. She couldn't know it, but he was incredibly grateful that there was at least one human on Earth who appreciated Loki more than any other Asgardian. His brother's act in Manhattan had gained him billions of enemies, so it came as a relief to hear that Ashley rated Loki higher than himself.

"He had a cunning mind, as sharp as the knives he used in battle. And his pranks were unmatched." He met her eyes and gave her a grateful smile as the brighter memories with his brother played in his mind. "You would have liked him, he was a master of magic much like yourself."

Before she had the chance to correct him, Pietro appeared beside them in a blink of an eye, informing them that the plan was ready and that the Captain requested everyone's presence.

* * *

Tony had learnt that there seemed to be a structure built around the portal's location from the satellite that he often relied on. That meant that it had indeed fallen into the enemy's hands and HYDRA were most likely the culprits. So they found as much information as possible, before formulating a plan to infiltrate the base.

The seven team members were scattered around the plane in a small circle, waiting for the Captain to give them the game plan. Ashley sat beside Tony and was tapping her foot impatiently, sighing silently in relief when Steve finally spoke up.

"Ok team, we're going to do this the same way as usual. Pietro, you scout ahead. Natasha and Clint will secure the inside, take out anyone you see. Thor and Tony will hold the perimeter, I don't want any strays getting away. Ashley and I will follow after Pietro to find the portal, once it's shut down, we all meet at the quinjet. Any questions?" His eyes had flicked to each person as he gave out their orders and he was glad to see that everyone knew their roles when no one presented a question.

And that was exactly how it went, only this time the base was not abandoned, and they had found themselves in the middle of a battle. A few blasts from Tony's suit was enough to provide an entrance into the facility, and five of the seven slipped into the building (which was once again underground) taking out any HYDRA agents that they could find.

As usual Pietro had run ahead, scouting through the different hallways and rooms, in search of the portal that they were looking for, but not before Ashley told him to 'stay out of trouble'. He figured that it was her own personal way of telling him to be careful. Meanwhile, Steve and Ashley were up against six HYDRA agents. The bullets that they had fired at Captain America were rendered useless, as they all ricocheted off of the green barrier that had protectively followed him during the fight. Ashley hadn't even attempted hand to hand combat, she was more than happy to incapacitate the men the easier way, while Steve made short work of disarming and disabling them the hard way.

They were standing in a hallway, and Steve gave a small nod of thanks for the layer of protection she offered, which she returned with a smile. They both heard the thundering of footsteps on the concrete floor coming from their right, and realised that even more guards were quickly approaching.

"Go. I'll take care of this, if we keep waiting here we'll never find the portal." Ashley looked at him, unsure of whether to follow his order or stay and help her friend. As if reading her thoughts he looked over to her and gave her a stern 'go'. She didn't stick around after that, and sprinted off down the hallway in search of her scout.

Pietro had manage to stumble across a large doorway that had been cracked open an inch or two, but he refrained from entering when he heard the hushed and agitated whispers coming from inside.

He peaked into the room through the opened door, and analysed the area.  _Five men_. Four of them around his own size, and one burly man with dark hair covering his head, chin and arms. He was the only one with a gun on his person, the others seemed to have placed their own on a small metal table in the corner of the room. And there, sitting in the middle of the room was what they were looking for. The dark portal looked as if someone had torn a hole into the very air and stuck a piece of space there instead. Wisps of black and navy blue slithered around its jagged frame, a power he doubted was controllable…even for Ashley.

He entered the room in a blur of blue, the five men he had counted had noticed him immediately after he sent one hurtling into a wall as he barged past him. He smirked as time seemed to slow, moving hastily while the men around him panicked in slow motion. Pietro zipped through the men, knocked them over whenever they tried to regain their footing. He noticed one reaching for a gun that rested on the metal table beside him, but he disposed of that quickly. What he hadn't noticed was one of the men behind him throwing a small coin-shaped device at his back, as he dealt with the two men in front of him.

Then he stopped, and the men around him finally caught up to speed. Pietro's mouth was open in a silent scream, as his body twitched uncontrollably. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't do anything. All he could do was hurt, and that's exactly what he did.

The HYDRA guards all trained their guns on the frozen man that had just turned them inside out, scowling at the youngster. The burly man that had thrown the device walked to stand in front of him, a sinister grin on his face as he watched the boy struggle.

"Ah, HYDRA's biggest  _mistake_ …Maximoff. I don't see your sister anywhere, it's a pity…I wanted her to see this." He had raised his gun to the elder Maximoff's forehead, as his accented voice spoke the words.

The pain was immense, like everything was burning, and he couldn't move a single muscle to try and stop it. He knew this was it, if the pain didn't stop soon it would kill him, unless the German man killed him first, and there was no one that could help him out of this situation. Stark was still in the air, Thor was outside, Natasha and Clint were on the other side of the building, and he had no idea where Steve and Ashley were. All he knew was that his time was up.

So the man pulled the trigger.

And they all watched as the bullet stopped less than an inch from Pietro's head, even though he couldn't show it, relief flooded through him when he saw the familiar green wrap itself around the bullet bringing it to a halt.

Shocked faces continued to watch as the same bullet turned around. And of course, they watched as it was quickly embedded in the forehead of the burly man, who dropped to the floor with the same look of shock still plastered on his face.

Pietro felt himself drop to the floor as well, as the force that held him stationary was removed, and he could breathe again. His head rested on the floor, and he turned it to face the men as the bright flashes of electricity consumed them.  _Ah, so that's what it was. She was using the electricity against them now._  This time it was their turn to suffer, and he wasn't surprised that they barely lasted a minute, they weren't enhanced like he was. He  _was_  surprised, however, to find that she had killed them…he didn't think she was capable of that, mentally of course. And then he remembered.

She saved him.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble, Maximoff." He rolled his eyes at the humoured tone, but had to hide a small smile anyway.

Ashley walked over to him, sticking a hand out to help him up from his not-so-comfortable resting spot. He stared at it tiredly, obviously the electricity had done a number on him, but she wiggled her fingers impatiently. They didn't have time to sit and rest, he knew that, so he accepted the offered hand and she hauled him to his feet, holding onto his biceps as he stumbled forward a bit.

Standing up had just made it worse, and his head was spinning uncontrollably. He was trying to lean back to keep his weight off of her. He was a heavy guy, and the last thing he needed was a faceplant because she couldn't hold his weight. His eyes drooped as he slumped forward again, barely standing as she eased him to the ground somehow. He laid back down as she lightly tapped his stubbled cheek.

"You with me, hot stuff?"

He forced his eyes open, to stare at her concerned expression. He should thank her, she saved his life. He tried to formulate the words but his mind was blank, and he wanted to rest. No. He  _needed_  to rest. So they shut once more, and he welcomed the darkness of unconsciousness.

"Son of a bitch."

Ashley wasn't happy. She was almost too late, and the fact that Pietro was now unconscious threw a spanner in the works. God only knew how much pain he had endured before she got there, his abilities would have prolonged his suffering and that didn't sit well with her. She told him that none of them would be hurt if she could help it, and she felt as though she had broken a promise when she saw the suffering plastered on his face. That was all it took. She saw red, and she killed them for hurting a member of her new family. _A single life is a small price to pay to protect the things we care about_ …and when it came to her new friends, so was five.

Just to be sure, she lowered two fingers to the pulse point in his neck and nodded at the steady rhythm that pounded beneath the warm skin. After making sure he was still alive she raised her hand to her earpiece.

"Guys, Pietro is down. Nothing too serious, just unconscious." But she was met with silence. Her brows furrowed and she tapped the earpiece before trying again.

"Pietro is down, does anybody copy?" Thankfully the voice of her boss replied almost instantly.

"Yeah, I hear ya kiddo. The Cap is on his way over, any sign of the portal?"

She had entirely forgotten about the portal, but straightened to her full height when Tony reminded her of it. She could feel the power around her. It was close, much closer than she thought. "I can feel it but I can't see it..." She trailed off as she turned to face away from Pietro's unconscious form, and noticed the completely obvious hole of space that floated in the centre of the room on a small stage. "Never mind, I'm looking at it right now. I'm going to disable it Tony." She knew it had to be done, but she couldn't quell the worry that had grown within her. This was definitely  _not_  part of the job description.

"You shut that sucker down, I'm still dealing with the strays…Be careful kid." She gave a small smile at his concern. Not many people had ever worried for her. Usually there was no need to, so they seemed to forget that she was still in fact capable of dying, and  _could_  still experience pain.

"Don't worry about me boss, I'll be fine. You take care of yourself old man." She grinned after the words, knowing that he would have a witty comeback to throw back at her in return. He certainly didn't disappoint.

"Ouch…You know I hear unemployment rates have skyrocketed in recent years…" She gave him a loud laugh in return, shaking her head even though he couldn't see her.

"Yeah, I guess I'm lucky that no one can match my qualifications." This time it was his turn to chuckle.

"You're a real piece of work, Conlon." She hummed in agreement before responding.

"If you think I'm bad, you should meet my boss." She barely paid any attention to the mumbled reply as her stare was transfixed by the portal.

She ignored him as she approached the small stage and climbed it, standing in front of the portal, and feeling its strong pull. It was tempting her, and she lost herself staring at the bright stars scattered across the dark blue, night sky. It was beautiful, and it was a sight she missed seeing in her time with HYDRA. How simple it would be to step through it…to see the pathway to another world. And before she knew it her right hand was slowly reaching forward and she felt a warmth hit her fingers as they passed through the tear into the other side. But the soft groan that sounded from behind her had her glazed eyes blinking rapidly, and she hastily removed her hand from the doorway to space.

Her head turned back to see Pietro slowly pushing himself up onto his left elbow, while rubbing his head with his right hand. The exhausted and confused expression on his face warped into recognition as he remembered exactly where he was. She sent him a soft smile, glad that he appeared to be ok, before focusing her attention on the anomaly before her.

The portal threw off  _a lot_  of energy, and she knew that if she removed her mask it was very likely that she wouldn't be able to contain it. So she would have to use her  _initial_  power, and absorb it, to ensure she didn't amplify it into her surroundings. It would hurt, and she was well aware of the pain that would come from absorbing so much power, but the team was relying on her and she wouldn't disappoint them. Two metal rods were placed on either side of the portal, and she knew that they aided its maintenance because of the similar black and blue wisps of power that were being expelled from each rod.  _They're providing energy._

When he regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the room he was in, and then the woman that was standing in the centre of it, besides the portal.  _The portal_. Memories rushed back into his mind, and he understood his exhaustion as the past events unfolded. Every muscle screamed in protest as he urged himself into a sitting position, watching curiously as the woman raised both hands and held onto the metal devices that seemed to be generating the energy that the portal required. He watched her shoulders rise and fall in a deep breath, and as the black and blue wisps wrapped themselves around her arms.

It all seemed to be going so well, until her ear splitting scream echoed through the room. He was snapped into full consciousness as he shouted her name, dragging himself forward with his super speed, just as the Captain knocked the door off of its hinges.

Steve had been on the move ever since Tony informed him of Pietro's situation. So when he heard the pained scream of what he knew to be their newest recruit, he was completely stunned. He followed the screams and frantically broke down every door that stood between him and his new friend, and sprinted forward at the same time as the newly conscious Maximoff.

Pietro was hardly aware of Steve's presence, his attention focused on the woman before him, whose eyes had been stretched wide open in pain, and no longer held their brown colour. He had expected them to be green, but the navy blue that overcame them took him by surprise. He was suddenly reminded of the first day that they had met her, and the look of pain that his sister had worn. This was worse…much worse, and he had no idea what to do about it. her screams were mixing with the shouts coming from Steve and the frantic voices of the other team members that were blaring through his earpiece.

Not being able to think of anything else he tried to grip her hands to remove them from the rods, but the navy bolt of electricity sent him flying from the platform, and onto the hard concrete floor of the lab, shoulder first.

Steve was panicking, but he couldn't worry about Pietro at the moment. And then he had an idea. Raising his shield high above his head, he brought it down as hard as he could against the rod closest to him, and then repeated the process on the other when he noticed that it had been detached from the woman's grip. He lurched forward to prevent her convulsing body from falling off of the platform, and gripped her tight as she shook uncontrollably. Her eyes were wide open in shock and pain, looking but not quite seeing. It hurt him to see her tortured in such a way, and he murmured soft words of comfort while gently dropping down from the platform.

Pietro had stood up once more, and cracked his sore neck before quickly approaching the soldier and girl. Her body was violently shaking, and her eyes had regained their brown pigment but were still just as wide. He watched as Steve told her she was going to be ok, and that they would get her help, while he carried her towards him. Soon enough her body slackened, going limp in the Captain's arms, and her eyelids slowly snapped shut in the relief that came with unconsciousness.

"Would somebody please tell me what the hell is going on down there!"

The enraged voice of Tony Stark made everyone wince, and Steve and Pietro looked at each other, sharing a worried expression before both sets of eyes fell to the girl once more. Thankfully for Pietro it was Steve that answered the billionaire.

"Stark…Ashley is down." He was met with silence and decided that it was a better time than any to voice his concerns. "We don't know how bad it is, but…Tony, this is serious."

"I'm on my way, stay where you are."

 


	10. Chapter 10

_"_ _Where are you taking me?"_

_No answer._

_"_ _Hey! can you at least let go of my damn arm? You're hurting me."_

_The masked man that was leading her through the warehouse didn't stop or reply, but the softening of his gloved grip on her forearm showed that he wasn't entirely ignoring her. In truth, he was silently relieved that the girl wasn't putting up much of a fight, it made his job of detaining her much easier, even if that wasn't usually his objective. He felt her unwavering stare on the back of his head, but it wouldn't deter him, there was little that ever did._

_Ashley just glared at the back of his head, but followed behind him regardless of her dislike for the situation. She would have tried to run. To attack him when his back was so carelessly turned to her. To escape before whatever her new fate was, was sealed._ _**Would have** _ _. If she hadn't just witnessed him single-handedly kill seven construction worker civilians in about 10 seconds, for getting in his way. If he was any other soldier, or mercenary…whatever, it didn't matter. Anything but what he was, would be a walk in the park. But she wasn't suicidal, and he hadn't harmed her so far, so she kept to the promise she made of never throwing the first punch and followed him like a lost puppy._

_He noticed her pace slow down, but he refuse to slow his own. It wasn't his problem if she was lost in thought, she'd snap out of it sooner or later. What he couldn't understand was why she was even needed._ _**Why is she so important to them?** _ _She seemed pretty useless from what he had seen, she hadn't even fought back. God knows if she even knew how to fight in the first place. But he wouldn't ask. It wasn't his job, and it wasn't important. At least that's what HYDRA taught their assassins. His mission was to find the target and detain her, and that's exactly what he had done, nothing else mattered._

_Ashley watched as the man she had resorted to calling her 'Red' in her mind, dragged her towards a helicopter. Surely he wasn't taking her there! Her eyes widened in fear and she tried to stop walking altogether. All thoughts of him murdering her flew out the window, as she tried to halt his movements by stopping._

_He felt the resistance from the woman, and furrowed his brows. He had been leading her there for half an hour, and only now she tried to resist._ _**Why?** _ _He was snapped out of his thoughts as she gave a particularly strong tug that almost made him stumble._ _**Almost** _ _. His patience was already hanging by a thread, so when he fiercely turned to face her, only an inch from her face, he had to do all he could to not kill her on the spot. But it was not his mission, and he would not hurt her, only intimidate her. Like every HYDRA assassin was trained to do._

_He grew grateful for the mask that covered his face, knowing that his sudden confusion couldn't be noticed. He had expected her to be scared, and she was. But the strange part was that he was evidently not the source of her fear, and that had never happened before._

_She was well aware that he wanted to rip her to shreds in the moment she tugged him back, but her scared eyes were glued to the aircraft. She only removed them to look a his narrowed eyes, which were cold and calculating, but there nonetheless. She swallowed dryly, thinking of a way to avoid the inevitable a little longer._

_"_ _I-I can't go in there." Her shaky start levelled out into a stronger tone by the end, and she didn't notice it, but his eyebrow gave the slightest twitch upon the revelation._ _**She was scared of the helicopter** _ _. It made sense, a lot of people were fine with planes but completely terrified of helicopters. They were easier to take down, but there was no way that with the HYDRA technology on board, this particular helicopter would go down. So he just gripped her arm tighter and started pulling her forward again._

_But the fear and panic she felt in that moment overpowered her._ _**He's not listening** _ _._

_He didn't know how, it was entirely beyond comprehension, but he found his body being powerfully hurtled into the air by a wave of green as his grip was ripped from the girls arm forcefully. Luckily his reflexes were unmatched and he acrobatically twisted his body to land in a low crouch, one arm forward to steady himself while his head looked down, focusing on the asphalt of the road beneath him. By the time he looked up, the five men that were to escort them to the facility had exited the helicopter and were already surrounding the girl, guns in place and warnings sounding through the air._

_She was hostile, and threatening her in this state would do little to change that. Her power would protect her, regardless of whether or not she wanted it to, and these men would learn that very soon. She no longer had control. And they were out of time._

_Her right hand flew forward in a speed that rivalled his own, and he watched as the two men standing in front of her started to glow a bright green. The light was difficult to look into, just like the sun, and judging by their screams, just as hot. They were engulfed in the light, and it seemed to shine through their bodies until there was nothing left to shine through. No ashes, no bones, no blood. Just two floating green wisps that slithered their way back to her hand when she clenched her fist._

_The remaining three men were overwhelmed, and were thrown out of their stupor when they realised that their lives were at risk. And that was all it took for them to open fire._

_'_ _Red' had risen from his crouch, but stayed out of the girl's way. The stupid guards were going to get themselves killed, and he couldn't care less, he actually preferred it that way. What he was trying to figure out was what to do when she dealt with them, was he next on the list? He had to resist shaking his head in bafflement when the fools started firing their M4A1s at her. She wasn't planning on dying that day, so that left only one option. He withdrew the small dart from a side pocket and waited, slowly creeping up behind her, but still keeping his distance at the same time._

_The rapid fire of bullets went on for a small while, the collision of each one against the green field of her energy was creating a considerably large cloud of smoke around her. She hadn't even twitched, too far gone to even comprehend what was happening, so when they took the time to reload, the pulse of power she released had thrown them to the ground hard._

_It was all the time he needed to pounce, grateful for the distraction. With the small dart clenched in his left hand, his right simultaneously wound its way around her waist as he plunged it into the side of her neck. She tried to jolt forward from him, but his arm just gripped even tighter around her waist, only to slacken once more when she gave a small whimper of pain. She slowly and clumsily turned around to face him, her dark brows furrowed in confusion, and her eyelids drooping tiredly over her brown eyes. Although his face didn't show it, he was surprised to see similar green whips slowly fading from the chocolate orbs. Her confusion turned to recognition, and she huffed out a breathy chuckle._

_"_ _I…I knew…I shoulda kept…kept my eyes on you, Red."_

_With that said, her form slumped and her head lolled forward to land on his shoulder. He carefully pulled the dart from her neck, and heaved her up into his arms. She was definitely getting onto that helicopter, whether she like it or not. As he walked forward briskly, he barely even noticed the three men regaining their footing. When he finally reached the helicopter he laid her down across three seats, now that they were down two men she could have them to herself. He sat directly across from her, staring intently at her peaceful features. So gentle,_ _**so dangerous** _ _._

_He understood now._

* * *

"Anything?"

Tony shook his head, eyes glazed from staring through the hospital window for so long. The figure lying in the bed was still unconscious, and he had forgotten just how long he'd been there. The door to the room was open, but he had been standing outside and watching through the window for a solid twenty minutes. The Captain's voice had snapped him out of his thoughts and he blinked thrice before verbalising a response.

"It's been over a week, and still nothing."

Steve wasn't used to hearing the flat tone he had spoken with, and placed a supportive hand on the billionaire's shoulder, as he too turned his gaze on the room's occupant. He knew Tony had taken to the girl immediately, and even though his initial liking of her was born from wrong intentions, she had slowly wormed her way under his skin and became a friend rather than an experiment. So Steve would reassure him that all would be well, because he knew that he was blaming himself.

"She's been through a lot worse, she's tough. She'll pull through, it's only a matter of time."

But Tony's emotions were conflicted and he didn't know how to feel about it. Mad, because she was hurt. Disappointed that they couldn't do more. Or guilty…because it was his fault. The last thing he wanted was pity thrown into the mix, so Steve's words did little more that fuel the inferno of emotions that already plagued his mind.

"Don't you think she's had enough time taken from her already?" He snapped at the Captain.

Steve was slightly taken aback when Tony brushed his hand off of his shoulder, and his jaw clenched when the billionaire decided to take his anger out on him. Regardless, he tried to remain as calm and civil as possible.

"Look, you're not the only one here that cares about her, Tony. She's been through a lot, and I'm not saying its fair, but we have to stay positive and hope for the best." His voice slightly escalated towards the end, but not so much as to seem threatening or aggravated. But it was obvious that his words fell on deaf ears, as Tony simply continued staring, like he hadn't even heard Steve at all. He became so lost in thought, that he didn't even notice he had thought out loud.

"It's my fault."

It was a mere whisper, but Steve had definitely heard it. It was typical. Someone always blames themselves, even when nothing could be done to change the outcome. It would have happened regardless, and it was therefore, no one's fault. He gave a soft sigh and looked to Tony's face, finally managing to tear his gaze from the ashen featured girl wrapped in the light blue sheets of the hospital bed.

"Don't do that to yourse-"

But Tony would hear none of it. Someone had to take the blame, and it was only right that he be the one to do it. So when he rounded on Steve in anger, the super soldier could do nothing but let him release all that pent up frustration, wincing as his voice rose in volume.

"No! It's my fault, and I'm admitting that. If I hadn't dragged her out there, she wouldn't be in  _there_  right now!" He yelled, pointing to the room at the end of his sentence.

Realising that his temper was getting out of hand, Steve fisted his shirt and lightly shoved him into the wall, just hard enough to get his attention. It seemed as though Tony's anger was rubbing off on him, but he did well to keep it from his expression, and instead channeled it into his tone.

"And if she hadn't come then what, huh? That portal would still be open, and more importantly Pietro could have died…you heard what he said, she saved his life." His grip on Tony's shirt slackened, and he stepped back slightly, adopting a gentler tone for his next words. "Face it Tony, you did what we all would have done. You thought of the greater good and-"

"To hell with the greater good, Cap! I'm all for the bigger picture, but I'm tired of sacrificing the people in my life for people who don't even give a damn."

Steve knew he had a point, but it was a necessary risk that they took on a regular basis. In their line of work there was no shortage of injuries, and there was more than enough death as well! But at the moment, looking back on the events that had occurred over a week ago, Steve couldn't help but think that it was the best case scenario. He didn't want Ashley to be hurt, it had killed him when he reached her, and the image of her convulsing body had visited him in his dreamland too. But if he had, he would choose an injured team member over a dead one, any day of the week.

"We all know what we signed up for, including Ashley. If she couldn't hack it she wouldn't have bothered coming, you  _know_  that. So stop blaming yourself, you know she won't."

His tone was imploring, and he knew that it was all for naught when Tony merely shook his head defiantly and moved away from the wall before heading towards the open door. He didn't even pause in his movements as he gave the Cap a response, and the bitter tone had Steve shaking his head in exasperation.

"Yeah that's real easy for the guy  _without_  the guilty conscience to say."

Steve just turned around, and made his way out of the hospital. He had originally come there to see how she was, and offer any help he could provide. But Tony's temper had made him mad, and he decided that a gym session was in order. He would make sure to bring a few spare boxing bags with him. It was going to be a long session.

Meanwhile, Tony got comfortable in the plush sofa that lined the cream wall where a large window sat. Beside the hospital bed was a small table with an abundance of flowers that Tony had been bringing in everyday, sitting on top of it in a large vase. It was a decent day out, but he doubted that he could enjoy it. There was little time for such things in his life now. He hadn't even been in the room for two whole minutes before he heard the coarse voice that had him springing from his seat and bounding over to the hospital bed.

"You know…I think I've finally started to grow on you…"

He didn't chuckle, or even make a witty reply. He just stared as the girl shuffled slightly, looking at him amusedly with a cocked brow.

"You're awake" She gave a breathy laugh at his words, and she couldn't help herself.

"We should find you some spandex and a shield, then we could call you Captain Obvious…god, I need some water."

He rolled his eyes at her comment, but smiled at the fact that she was joking around. It couldn't be that bad if she was joking around…right? Remembering her last comment, he handed her the water that had been placed beside the flowers. She gave him a nod of thanks before taking a sip.

"Sad to see that your little nap has done nothing to improve your humour." He gave her a grin, when she crinkled her nose at his jab, before he adopted a more serious countenance. "How're you feeling, kiddo?"

She gave his a sarcastic smirk before replying. "Like a million bucks. I'm sure I look it too." They both laughed and Tony was glad that she didn't seem too mad at him for putting her in harm's way. But he couldn't stop himself from blurting out the words that were bouncing around in his brain for the past week.

"I'm sorry." He was surprised when she just rolled her eyes, as per usual.

"Oh, god. We are so not doing this. Not now, not ever."

He raised a hand to his heart, mouth dropping open in mock hurt. "I had to say it. It's out there now, deal with it."

She laughed yet again, and she was losing count of how many times he had made her laugh in the small space of five minutes. "You know, you should listen to Steve more often, he really knows his stuff." She knew the comment would annoy him, so she grinned when it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Speaking of Steve, how is he? How is everyone? Wait, how long have I been out?"

Tony raised his hand to shush her. "Woah there, one question at a time kid. Cap's his usual elderly self, they're all fine…and uh, let me see…" He raised his hands and started counting fingers, with a focused look on his face that was clearly just for show. "Nine days, if my math is right. Which it always is, by the way."

Ashley lowered her gaze to her hands, which were now fiddling with the stitching of her blanket. "Hmmm, nine days…I thought it would be worse."

"Yeah it was-wait what? You knew? You knew that this would happen?" His bewildered expression was comical, he was looking at her as if she was the single stupidest person he had ever met, with his arms crossed and brows shooting up into his hairline.

"Uh, duh! What did you think would happen if I consumed too much energy? I needed to recharge, and what better way to do that than a nice long nap." In truth, he hadn't actually even considered it. He didn't know it was possible for  _her_  of all people to be taken out by energy, of all things!

"So, what? This happens all the time?" She just shook her head.

"No, it never happens if my mask is off. But that portal was damn strong, and I had to make sure I didn't project that power into the environment. If I did, it would hav-"

"Wiped out the whole facility, and then some?" He pointed to himself in an arrogant fashion and shot her a smug smile. "Yeah, genius, remember?" She huffed out a laugh at his display. "So where does the energy go, exactly? You know…when you're absorbing it?"

She had to think about his question, racking her brain for old information that HYDRA had provided. "It enters my cells, at least that's what HYDRA told me." She shrugged nonchalantly, not too bothered with the process. But Tony remained his curious self.

"So then, all of your processes are way faster than the average human?"  _Were they?_  She had only ever felt the rush when absorbing power, never when she was in a resting state.

"Only when I'm absorbing. The only time I can store it permanently is through the green, otherwise it will eventually be used up by the cells, until I absorb more." She was starting to feel the numbness that came with laying still for so long, and decided to stretch her tired muscles out as far as her body would allow.  _I need to get out of here_.

"So why is the green so different? It seems like you don't know much about it." She completely forgot that they were discussing her power, so the question confused her for a few seconds before she caught on.

"That's because I don't. Honestly? I have no idea. All I do know is that it protects me, it's more of an involuntary defence mechanism than a weapon." Tony nodded in understanding, even though there were still plenty of questions he wanted to ask, she had just woken up so he would hold back…for now.

"I'm hungry. Is there any food around here?" She raised a threatening finger and pointed at him, a stern look on her face. "I swear to Odin, if you ate my jell-o…" He chuckled at her antics, and cocked a humoured brow.

"Odin?"

She just shrugged lazily. "It was either that or Loki, and Thor gets upset when I mention his little bro, so I opted for dad instead." She really was a strange one. But he had to suppress a shiver at the thought of the Norse god.  _He's dead, he's not coming back._ He shook the thought from his head.

"Good call, it's probably best that you don't mention him around Katniss either. Or anyone really…" He trailed off. If she wasn't so confused by the reason behind his words, she would have laughed at his nickname for Clint.

"Really? Why?"

He stiffened at the question, and the battle for Manhattan replayed itself in his mind. The Chitauri. Loki. The  _portal_.  _Breathe, Stark, breathe_. Once he slowed his rapid heart rate, he cleared his throat and took a deep breath to steady himself. He had gotten far better at controlling the anxiety, but the memories were still difficult to deal with. They always would be. But he did promise her an explanation of what she missed, and that was a  _pretty big deal_  so he met her gaze and told her the story.

"So that's pretty much what happened the year you went under. Nothing to serious, just your average world domination routine." She chuckled at his explanation, but her head was spinning from what she had learnt. Loki was on Earth?

"He's awesome…" It was whispered under her breath, and it was clear that she hadn't meant to say it aloud, but the words had Tony almost choking on his own saliva. _How the hell was he_   _'_ _ **awesome**_ _'_? And just like that he found himself getting agitated again.

"He's insane. He's a murderer. People died, Ashley." Her eyes snapped up to meet his own matching brown ones, when she recognised the anger in his words. And for a moment she forgot that she was no longer expected to think like she was raised to, and replied with the dominant thought in her mind.

"People die every day, Tony. I'm not saying I support his decision…but he had to have been impressive, with the unlimited power of this tesseract you spoke about." She adopted a far away look, and it actually scared him. "...like me…" Again, he knew that she was thinking aloud, but god only knew what was going through her mind. He resisted the urge to yell or argue, to tell her that the God of Mischief and Lies was not some cool character in a book or movie. He had been vey real and very dangerous. But he didn't do anything, except stand and walk out of the room without another word to her.

He caught sight of the grimace he wore in the reflection of the metal elevator doors. And just like the first day they met her, an uneasy feeling rooted into the pit of his stomach as the two words continued to echo in his mind.

_Unlimited power…_

* * *

Long after Tony had left, Ashley found herself escaping the confines of the hospital and trekking her way to Avengers Tower. She had already entered the building and was dying of exhaustion, in the stairwell of the  _27th floor_.  _This was a stupid idea_. She knew that the team would freak out as soon as they were notified of her absence, but she refused to stay in that room for another second and knew that they would try to drag her back to it.

She had wasted more than enough time resting at HYDRA's base, and she was not about to waste any more of it simply because they got a little worried. It was sweet of them to be concerned, but she needed space more than anything, and some fresh air to go with it. After making J.A.R.V.I.S swear to not breath a word of her appearance, she began the long ascent.

What she hadn't done, was inform them of her escape, and she decided to avoid using the elevator just incase.  _Never again_. There were still 66 floors to climb, and only after she completed them would she reach her desired destination. With motivational thoughts in mind, she launched herself up the stairs, two steps at a time.

* * *

"Security cameras are a dead end. They show her leaving the hospital, but other than that…she's a ghost." The whole team seemed to sigh in frustration after Clint spoke up. The archer had been checking footage for any sign of the girl, but it was proving to be a surprisingly difficult task. _Well, she_ _ **has**_ _been sneaking around for most of her life_. It was difficult to predict where she would go, none of them knew her that well just yet.

So the team found themselves sitting around Tony's lab, waiting for any alerts to come up on the monitor. They were all currently racking their brains for a motive behind her disappearance. Was she scared? Angry? Sick of them? Or did she just no longer trust them? It was difficult for all of them to come to a particular conclusion, and they hadn't realised just how much of an impact her leaving would have on them. Sure, she wasn't quite as liked or trusted as they were to each other, but she was worming her way into their dysfunctional little family, and her premature loss was both unexpected and slightly disheartening.

Pietro, Natasha and Clint hadn't seen her in three days, since the last time they visited the hospital. Thor had left on the same day to visit Jane, but asked them to notify him if Ashley were to awaken. When Steve returned to the Tower that day, informing them of Tony's behaviour, they hadn't been surprised. The billionaire hadn't left the hospital in days, and they knew he was growing anxious waiting for her to wake up. It was obvious that he was blaming himself, and even Pietro had felt a tinge of guilt for not doing more to help. But that was quickly dealt with, when he realised that there was literally nothing he could do.

He had also been meaning to thank her. The fact that she had saved his life without hesitation had earned her a lot of his gratitude, and if he was being honest, respect too. But he wouldn't let her know that second part. She had no reason to do such a thing, he had not _given_  her one. All he had done was mistrust her and urge his sister to avoid her, so he wasn't expecting her to do him any favours…at all.

Wanda had of course been notified of the events that had taken place during the past two weeks. Pietro was a bit surprised when she inquired about Ashley's health before his own, but he smothered the spark of jealousy when he remembered that the younger woman was far worse off than himself. What he was certain of was that a 'thank you' was in order, but they had to find her first.

"I am going to look around. Maybe she is walking around the city." Pietro suggested with a small shrug. He didn't wait for a response before he bolted to the door, and out into the busy New York streets. Despite the late hour, there were still plenty of people out and about. It wasn't called the 'city that never sleeps' for nothing!

"Not a bad idea. You're good with tech Stark, we're good in the field." Clint rose from his seat, and Natasha read his mind as she added onto his sentence.

"We can head back to the hotel, see if we can find anything. If not, then we'll look around the city too. She couldn't have gone far, she doesn't know the place well enough."

Her words gave them some reassurance, considering they had entirely forgotten that she was completely unfamiliar with her surroundings. The billionaire and super soldier watched as the two assassins left through the same door that Pietro had just gone through.

Tony absently stared at the screen before him, thinking of where she could have possibly gone, and wondering why she had left in the first place. What is because of what he had said at the hospital? Or the way he just left without a word? Or was it something entirely unknown to them, like a sudden urge or a need for freedom? He didn't know, and he didn't like not knowing things.

"Damn it. I got nothing, she doesn't even know where anything is, except the Tower…Where would she go? I mean, Vancouver?" Tony was baffled by her disappearance more than any other, but he hardly believed that she would return to Canada so hastily, as his tone suggested. He was going to continue, when Steve answered the rhetorical question and effectively interrupted the rant that was about to take place.

"No, she's been underground for years and she loves the city life. She wouldn't leave…not yet." At least that was what he wanted to believe. He liked Ashley, their stories were similar in a way. They were both tormented by HYDRA, they had both missed years of their life, and as a result, they were both lost in the current world.

Tony just released a loud breath that could have been deemed a sigh, and stood up so fast he nearly knocked his chair over. "Well I guess they're right, we're not gonna find her if we're sitting on our asses. I'm gonna take the new suit out for a spin, you interested?"

Steve considered it for a moment, before shaking his head in refusal. "No, you go on ahead. I'll try to figure something out, we can't all be out at once, what if she comes back and there's no one here?"

Tony nodded, he couldn't fault the Captain's logic. So with a small 'suit yourself' he left the room just like each of the other Avengers and set off to search for the missing girl.

Steve just sat quietly, with his brows furrowed in concentration. Where would she go? Like Tony and Natasha had mentioned, she was unfamiliar with New York, and the only place she had been entirely comfortable had been the Tower. So why hadn't she returned?  _Wait…did she?_

"J.A.R.V.I.S?"

_"_ _Yes, Captain?"_

"Did Ashley come by the Tower at all today?"

_"_ _Unfortunately Captain, I have been sworn to secrecy."_  Steve sighed in exasperation, but hope bubbled up within him at the thought of Ashley being in the Tower.

"Of course you have…But if she were to stop by the Tower, where would she be?"

_"_ _If by some chance she were to return, I believe she would be on the roof, Captain."_  He beamed at the information, and jogged to the elevator.

"Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S!"

_"_ _Always a pleasure, Captain."_

* * *

"Not a bad view, huh?"

"Not bad at all, Captain."

They both smiled at the familiar greeting. It was reminiscent of the first time they had become somewhat comfortable around each other, and Ashley turned to look at the man that had almost caught her off guard.

Steve caught the small smile, and decided to approach her when he saw that she didn't appear to be mad at him.  _So, that rules one possible reason off of the list._  They both stood beside each other, gazing out at the city and leaning softly on the railing beneath their arms.

"I'm sorry…I just needed to get out." Steve wasn't expecting an apology, in fact he was sure that he should be the one apologising to her, not the other way around.

"That's understandable. We thought you might have been mad at us, we thought…" She listened to him trail off and added what she knew he was about to say.

"You thought I left." Well crap. That made her feel bad. She had worried them, and if they thought she was running, they were no doubt searching for her. She was so sure that she would have more time before the hospital notified them, after all, it does take a while to search a whole hospital. "I'm sorry." She repeated it softly.

Steve just shook his head and smiled. "You don't need to apologise, and actually…I want to say sorry for not doing more when-"

He was interrupted by a loud groan. "Oh come on, not you too!" He chuckled at her response, glad to see that she seemed exactly the same as she was before the incident. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright. I won't say another word. But I should probably tell the others that you're not hitchhiking across the country."

She laughed at the thought.  _Hitchhiking? Her? Not a chance_. "Yeah that might be a good idea." She gave a small yawn before continuing. "I'm going to get some shut-eye, those stairs really take it out of you. Good talk, Cap." She gave him a pat on the shoulder, before pushing off of the rail with the opposite hand, and turning to leave.

Unable to resist the need, he asked the question that was begging him for release.

"Hey Ashely? Why did you come here?" He turned to look at her, but she remained facing away from him, though she had stopped her movement. He saw her shoulders shrug before she replied.

"I love watching the city at night, besides where else would I go if not home?" She spoke as if he had just asked the stupidest question in the world. But he completely ignored it and he gave her a disarmingly sincere smile when her head turned to see him. He couldn't even respond when she said 'goodnight' and instead chose to keep his grin in tact each time the thought flashed through his mind.

She came  _home_.

* * *

Ashley was glad to finally be back. She didn't have anything against hospitals, but she was so used to the four metal walls that HYDRA had given her, that she had become both grateful and attached to the green room Tony had given her. The smile that came upon seeing the huge bed and the whole room in general, was giddy with anticipation, and she ran forward to leap onto the soft mattress.

She wasn't kidding when she told Steve that the stairs had tired her out. So she finally let herself relax against the soft pillow that she had actually missed when she woke up that morning in the hospital. And she closed her eyes as she felt sleep tug her into a night full of more Red dreams, and blue memories.

 


	11. Chapter 11

_256._

_She had counted 256 white tiles. Everyday for the past 16 days (which felt like 16 years) that she had been there, she counted the tiles that covered the pale ceiling._

_Everyday at 7 o'clock a guard would enter to bring her a decent breakfast, which she would barely touch, before the doctors came in two hours later. The doctors would check her vitals and make subtle attempts to befriend her, after all, friends helped each other and that's exactly what they wanted. And of course, everyday she would blatantly ignore their attempts with the cool mask of indifference that she had practiced while observing her sister for so long._ _**HYDRA** _ _…that's what they had told her. That is who had taken her_

_They had already served her the bacon and eggs they had made for breakfast, so when the bolted metal door swung open once more she didn't even bother shifting her gaze from the tiles. She was laying on the (surprisingly) comfortable bed that they had placed in one of the corners of the small room, arms folded with fingers entwined behind her head and legs crossed at the ankles lazily. One would think she was a guest, rather than a prisoner. Her brow lightly twitched when she dropped her stare to the clock that hung from the wall directly in front of her bed, on the opposite wall._ _**7:45** _ _. This time her brows furrowed completely, and she slowly turned her head left, to the door, voicing her thoughts as she did so._

_"_ _You're ear…ly" The ending faded to a whisper when she recognised the man that stood in the doorway, and he was most definitely not one of her doctors. She didn't know whether to grin or wince when she saw the unreadable look on his unmasked face. It was the first time she had seen him without it, and the silly thing definitely didn't do him any favours. He was a damn good-looking guy, better than the others she had seen. Not that she had met many men in her young life, but there was a dark quality to his handsome features that any sane (or insane) female could appreciate. The longish dark brown hair framed his lightly stubbled face, and his emotionless blue eyes were finally clear for her to see now that he was in the light. He wore a leather outfit, similar to the one he had found her in, and she noted the knives that were attached to him here and there._

_"_ _Damn, Red. Why didn't you tell me you were a looker?"_

_The words did nothing to alter his stone hard expression, nor did the teasing smirk that tugged at her lips. The man didn't even blink, he just stood as still as a statue, icy eyes staring at her like he was reading an open book. She cocked a dark brow in response to his scrutiny, released a breathy sigh, and returned her gaze to the ceiling without saying another word._

_The man just stood in the doorway, he didn't move as he quietly observed her. HYDRA's new prisoner. HYDRA's new_ _**weapon** _ _. They were similar in that respect, only they treated her much better than they treated him. She had decent food, a soft bed, oh...and she wasn't tortured constantly. He had to repress the growl that was growing in the back of his throat. He wasn't jealous of the treatment she was receiving. No, she was a young woman that was accustomed to such a life, and what was he? An assassin that had killed more people than he could remember. But there was always that tinge of longing that he had, that small spark that urged him to free himself, to allow himself the same luxuries that she had most likely had her entire life._

_She didn't know it, but he had watched her everyday since she had arrived. Not voluntarily, of course. It was his orders. Observe the girl, read her habits, and when she gets settled…break her in. The higher-ups had been notified that he was the only one to return unharmed from the helicopter incident, so he was assigned to 'befriend' her, to gain her trust. They knew she would ignore the doctors, so they would gain her trust through someone who she could develop a false sense of security around, someone like herself. Camaraderie between two weapons, two people who could eventually understand each other, two people who were too dangerous to leave alone. He knew his orders and he would easily follow them. As soon as she trusted him, it would be easy enough for him to warp her mind the way they wanted it._

_So here he was, ready to break her in._

_"_ _Get up."_

_Her eyebrows shot up so high it must have been comical, and her eyes snapped straight to his passive face, meeting his emotionless blue gaze. He looked like he still hadn't moved a muscle, and she started questioning whether she truly heard the words or not. Deciding that she had not, she began turning away from him once again, before he halted her by speaking once more._

_"_ _I said...get up."_

_Despite the gruffness of the order, she cracked a small smile after hearing him speak for the first time. It was soft, but rough at the same time, and she instantly noted the accent. She shifted into a sitting position, with her legs uncrossing and swinging over the edge so she could face him, before hauling herself up from the bed and stepping forward. She crossed her arms over her chest, more comfortably rather than defensively, and looked at him with a look that clearly said: 'Happy now?'_

_He finally moved from the doorway, swinging it shut and walking towards her slowly and silently, like a predator assessing its prey. She rolled her eyes impatiently as he circled her with a ridiculously slow pace. Despite her original comfort, she was starting to grow warm under his inspection, and she had to do all she could to not squirm from his intense blue gaze. Just before it overpowered her, she suddenly turned around to face him with narrowed eyes._

_"_ _I've already had breakfast, and I doubt you're here to check my vitals…what do you want?"_

_Good, she was irritated. He had made her uncomfortable, and even though he expected her to respond a lot quicker than she did, he was glad she responded at all. It would make things so much easier in the future, knowing that he wouldn't have to use force to gain her attention. He gave her a thorough once-over, noting that she seemed to be in overall good health, and not starved or beaten like the other prisoners. Again, this would make his job of training her much easier. He was suddenly not so agitated at having to do this; it might be a far quicker process than he had anticipated. The sooner he finished training her, the sooner he could return to his own duties as HYDRA's best assassin._ _**Play nice, and you'll be out of here.** _ _**All you have to do is gain her trust** _ _. It was the mantra that he kept repeating in his head. It helped him remember his mission, and kept him from strangling the life out of her._

_"_ _Why do you call me that?"_

_Ashley looked at him like her had grown another head. The question was completely unrelated to anything she had said, and for a moment she had no idea what he was talking about at all._

_"What…Red?" He didn't grace her with a response, knowing that she was aware of what he was asking, and just stared at her instead. "Because of the star. It was the first thing that caught my attention."_

_"_ _Not the metal?" She was surprised that he had continued speaking to her; he obviously wasn't the show and tell type of guy._

_"_ _Bud, with the family I have and the things I've seen…well, let's just say that nothing surprises me any more." The small smile on her face would have fooled anyone that wasn't trained to see past such things. And he did just that, noting the pain that was barely clear after she mentioned her family. But those thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind when she continued talking, not that he cared very much for them in the first place. "To be honest, I'm kind of surprised…I wouldn't have pinned you as an American." She had spoken in a way that tried to encourage him to explain, but they both knew that wasn't going to happen. She moved back to the bed and sat down on the edge after she received no response, waving her hand as if inviting him to also sit wherever he pleased._

_He surprised her by actually pulling a chair over from the small metal table that sat in the opposite corner of the room, just below the clock. He placed the chair a few metres away from her and sat down facing her, strong arms crossed over his stomach and legs reaching out leisurely as he leant back and observed her once more._ _**Earn her trust, and you can leave. Earn her trust, don't kill her…** _

_Ashley had been following his movements with her eyes, not entirely sure why they sent someone who was clearly an assassin to her. Were they trying to intimidate her? Or did they just want to send a powerful individual to deal with her instead, in the hopes that she might identify with him better? Whatever the purpose was, she wasn't going to be fooled so easily. Her 'father' taught her too much; she was no longer a naive 9 year old._ _**But he didn't need to know that…** _

_Mentally shaking herself out of the thoughts, she focused her cautious eyes on him again, only to find that he was already looking at her. She inwardly smirked when she saw how 'comfortable' he was pretending to be. She had been around assassins for her whole life, she knew they were_ _**never** _ _comfortable, and the subtle tenseness of his sprawled frame showed just how alert the man really was._ _**Always prepared.** _ _She would have guessed that nothing could catch him by surprise; she had seen that when she blasted him during the helicopter…incident. He had landed so easily, courtesy of the arm she was now staring at._

_"_ _It's impressive. Can you feel sensations?"_

_She saw the metallic fist clench slightly, but she didn't remove her eyes from the limb._ _**Ah, touchy subject** _ _. What she told him earlier had been half true, she had seen many things in her childhood, but this was not one of them._ _**He didn't need to know that either...** _

_"_ _Some."_

_This time she gave a half-smile and a quietly huffed laugh, tearing her gaze from his left arm, and looking at his face instead._

_"_ _Not much of a talker are you? No wait, let me guess…you're not going to answer?"_

_She leant forward in mock anticipation, with an over exaggerated look of expectancy on her face. That soon changed into a shit-eating grin when she saw the corners of his mouth twitch in a quick smirk. He noticed her new expression and had to keep from rolling his eyes._

_For a moment there he had a flash of images assault his mind, a similar cheeky attitude and grin from a small-framed man, whose features he couldn't quite make out. The memory…_ _**was it a memory?** _ _Either way, it had made him feel…he didn't know_ _**how** _ _it made him feel, it just did. But he quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind._

_"_ _I'm here to train you."_

_She supposed that she would have to get used to the short and vague sentences, because she couldn't understand what exactly HYDRA wanted her to learn from an assassin. Her eyes flickered over his face once more, but she hardly took any of his features in, as her mind raced a mile a minute for answers. She gave an involuntary snort when she came to her final conclusion. She hardly needed an assassin to teach her how to take a life._

_The snort wasn't loud but he had heard it nonetheless, and it annoyed him that he didn't know what it had meant. It was obvious that she had come to some sort of conclusion, and from his point of view it looked like the girl had deemed him unworthy of training her. This thought alone was enough to have him sending her an angry glare, which she noticed instantly._

_"_ _What exactly am I training for?" She cocked a challenging brow at him, and unintentionally mimicked his posture by crossing her own arms. She was surprised that he replied instantly, and even more so by the fact that his voice betrayed nothing of the annoyance his glare did._

_"_ _Basic combat skills."_

_She laughed mockingly at his response. "Basic combat skills? I don't know if you noticed…but I don't even need to use my fists in a_ _**fist** _ _fight." He definitely didn't appreciate the condescending tone she had adopted, and had to grit his teeth in restraint._ _**Befriend her, don't kill her…befriend her and you can leave…** _

_"_ _That tells me that you either don't know how to use them, or you rely on your power too much." He felt a sense of satisfaction when he saw her quickly glance to the floor after he spoke the second part of the sentence._

_"_ _I know how to fight. I don't need you to train me."_

_She understood that it had been a long time since she had learnt such things, and that he could probably teach her quite well…but she had always trained with her sister, it was those moments that she had enjoyed more than anything in her childhood, and she wasn't sure that she was willing to share that with anyone else._ _**Yet alone the HYDRA assassin that brought me here in the first place.** _

_He had anticipated her response, and wasn't fazed by her defiant tone._ _**So much for making it easy.** _ _If she wouldn't cooperate, he would just have to make her. Physically harming her was out of the question. Not only would the higher-ups be on his ass for beating their star pupil, but he had also witnessed her turn two men into dust, in a matter of seconds. So no, physical harm would do little to aid him. He would have to make a trade._

_"_ _You let me train you, and I'll do something for you in return." He hated how pathetic he sounded. He was a killer. Hell, he could killer her in 27 different ways with his bare hands! But he wasn't allowed to. Those were not his orders, and he had to gain her trust. So he would suck it up, and deal with the humiliating situation._

_Ashley definitely hadn't expected that. The barely concealed disgust on his face showed just how difficult it was for him to even make the offer, and she had to do all she could to suppress the smirk that was threatening to appear. It wasn't worth making him even angrier. But she couldn't help but wonder why he was so hell-bent on training her, he obviously didn't want to do it, so why was he trying to gain her consent? Obviously HYDRA wanted this, and he was just caught in the crossfire. Did they threaten him to do this? Was his life at risk if she refused? She frowned at the thought, not liking the implications associated with it. Obviously she had little choice, and her peeved sigh had him subtly raising his brows in anticipation._

_"_ _Fine."_

_His winning smirk was far more prominent than his previous twitch, and she could practically feel the victory radiating from him, even if his posture hadn't changed a single bit. She almost bit her lip at the sight._

_And then she realised what he had just done._

**_Son of a….oh, well played Red. Well played._ **

_"_ _I want books." His smirk fell and made way for his newfound confusion. "I don't really care which ones, as long as they're not boring. One every two days should be acceptable."_

_Despite his initial confusion, he quickly caught on to what she was asking of him and gave a small nod when she finished speaking. He said nothing else as he stood from the chair and approached the exit, only stopping when he heard her address him again._

_"_ _Wait a minute, aren't you even going to give me your name…or am I supposed to just call you 'Red' all the time?" She had taken a light tone, not realising that he actually had no name to give her except for the one HYDRA had given him. Should he tell her that? Or should he just leave and let her think whatever she wanted of him?_ _**Gain her trust.** _

_"_ _You can call me 'Red'."_

_Again, he caught her off guard. She was joking with him, but he seriously wanted her to call him 'Red'? It was both her curiosity and her confusion that urged her to ask her next question, to which she would receive an answer she would undoubtedly never forget._

_"_ _And what do_ _**they** _ _call you?"_

_He didn't even spare her a glance as he resumed his walk to the exit, and for a moment when he pulled the metal door open, she believed he wouldn't answer at all. But he did._

_"_ _The Winter Soldier."_

* * *

That was the first dream that didn't leave Ashley with mixed feelings. But she couldn't help wonder what had become of Red. It hurt her to even think about it. She didn't have much time to dwell on it though, because J.A.R.V.I.S broke through her thoughts.

_"_ _Excuse me, Ash. Mr. Stark has asked me to inform you that you will be leaving the Tower today."_

Ashley's brows knitted together. Was he kicking her out? As if sensing her thoughts, the AI spoke up once more.

_"_ _The team will all be going to the facility today, so he has requested that you wear something casual."_

"Thank you J.A.R.V.I.S, you can tell Tony that I'll meet him outside in two hours."

_"_ _Right away, madam."_

She was relieved that she wasn't being kicked out like she initially thought, and gave a beaming grin when she realise that she was going to the facility.

Wanda was at the facility.

* * *

After running four laps of Manhattan, Stark had informed him that Steve found Ashley. It was a relief knowing that she had been at the Tower the entire time, according to Steve that meant that she wasn't willing to leave them any time soon. God only knows how Wanda would have reacted to her only female friend leaving.

Now, Pietro sat on his usual barstool eating his toast for breakfast, still in his matching grey pyjamas. He had plenty of time to reflect on the events that had occurred at the HYDRA base while she was in hospital. Too much time in his opinion. She saved him. He had come to terms with it days ago, and originally it annoyed him. He didn't like not being right, and his previous assessment of her was definitely wrong. If she truly was a threat she could have just let the burly German man blow his head off, and no one would even blame her for it. But she didn't do that; in fact she killed his attackers without second thought.

That was another thing he had to think about. So she wasn't a threat to them anymore, that much he would admit to himself, but her comfort in taking another's life had unsettled him. Pietro understood that she was doing it to protect him, but he also had the feeling that it was something she wouldn't lose any sleep over at all. What did that mean? It obviously had something to do with her past…perhaps she had already seen death while she was with HYDRA and it no longer fazed her. Or perhaps it had something to do with her mysterious family, or more specifically, her knife-wielding sister. God knows…but one thing was for sure, he was glad she was with them rather than against them.

"Hey hot stuff, nice to see that there was no permanent damage."

He ripped his stare from the half eaten piece of toast in his hand and focused it on the woman who was leaning against the doorway, with her arms crossed over her chest. He didn't have to look to know who it was; there was only one person that would call him by the pet name that he couldn't quite understand. Nevertheless, he took in her conscious form for the first time in 10 days.

Ashley had taken Tony's advice and gone for the casual look. She stuck to her trusty jeans, and wore her 'Just Do It.' black hoody over a plain white t-shirt. She had always preferred having her hair down, so that's exactly what she did, and grabbed the first pair of shoes (that weren't heels) that she could find. She smiled when she realised that they were red all stars, remembering wearing a similar pair in Vancouver when she was younger. Her face had gained back some colour, but the cold weather prevented it from truly regaining its usual hue.

"Welcome back."

She was surprised to see the small smirk playing on his lips, and gave a shy smile in response, before uncrossing her arms and walking into the room fully. His eyes followed her as she walked to the fridge on the opposite side of the counter he was leaning on, and poured a glass of orange juice. Realising that he was staring, he resumed eating his breakfast, but couldn't help glance at her when she sat in the stool beside him.

"Much happen while I was out?"

He just shook his head in response, not quite keen on talking with a full mouth. His mother would always scold him for doing it when he was a child, and he vowed to never do it again after the incident. When he finally swallowed his food, silence had blanketed them, and he didn't know how to say what had been on his mind for the past 10 days.

"I…"

Why was apologising so hard to do?  _Just admit you were wrong…Be a man_. He cleared his throat, ready to finally own up to his mistake, and fully prepared for the smugness that she would most likely show. But she didn't give him the chance.

"Don't worry about it. It's fine." She gave him a small smile in reassurance, but he was too proud to leave it at that. So when she drained the rest of the juice, and stood up to leave, his arm shot out and he felt that familiar hum.

Ashley turned around in surprise, she thought that she was doing him a favour by not making him admit it, but she had to respect the fact that he wasn't spineless enough to just let it go unsaid. So she met his blue gaze, and for a moment she was thrown back into her dream with the intensity of his stare. The only difference being the softness of his eyes compared to the icy blue ones she remembered. She suddenly felt uncomfortable looking at him, and looked to the floor instead.

"I'm sorry."

Her eyes flickered down to the hand that had wrapped itself around her wrist, and then back to his face when she gave a small nod of forgiveness. When he realised that she wasn't going to say any more on the matter, he released her from his hold and watched as she turned on her heel and left. He sat there on his stool, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. One moment she was her usual self and in the next, well…he didn't know where her head went, but he didn't miss the pain that had found a place within her features.

He briefly wondered if he was the cause of it, but one glance at the clock on the far wall told him that he didn't have the time to be dwelling on it. So he got up, heading to his room to prepare for the long day ahead.

* * *

Ashley stood outside Avengers Tower, waiting for the group to arrive. J.A.R.V.I.S had informed Tony that they would be meeting there, and that is exactly where she stood, bouncing on the balls of her feet, waiting for-

"Oh, would you look at who finally decided to show up guys!"

Ashley cringed when she heard Tony's sarcastic and clearly pissed voice from behind her. She completely forgot that she would have to face them all for the first time since she escaped the hospital, and suddenly she wasn't so excited about the journey. She slowly turned around with a grimace on her face, and was met with 3 sets of not-so-happy eyes. One blue, one brown, and one green.

"Hey guys…"

The grimace stayed in place, even when she tried to smile, and her 'I'm in so much trouble' tone had them all nodding in agreement. She understood that Tony was mad at her, he was her friend. But Natasha and Clint were a whole other story. She hadn't even had a proper conversation with the archer, and the only time she had spoken to Natasha was the day Thor arrived. Though the second conversation seemed to be far more personal than the first. Either way, she was sure that they wouldn't consider her a friend yet, so it confused her to see them mad at her.

"Oh yeah, you're in deep shi-"

"You're riding with me. C'mon kid." Clint cut Tony off, not quite wanting to get into it at that moment. In truth, he didn't really mind that she had escaped. He would have done the same. So he threw an arm over her shoulders and walked her over to the black SUV that was parked on the side of the street.

Ashley silently sighed in relief. She couldn't have picked a better person for her to ride with at the moment, and was glad to not have to deal with the uncomfortable silence that would have no doubt come with Natasha, or the scolding that would have come from Tony. So she let Clint lead her to the car with a grateful smile on her face.

"Thanks."

Clint gave her a small smirk, and a nodded in response. "No problem, kid." He opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, with Ashley taking the passenger side. She was glad that at least Clint was on her side. Oh, and Pietro.  _Never thought I'd say that!_

Before she knew it the car was slowly moving through the busy New York streets, and she knew in that moment that it was going to be a  _long_  ride. It was for that reason that she was glad when Clint broke the silence.

"You gave us a scare in that HYDRA facility. You should have seen Steve, he went full mother hen mode on us." He gave a humoured chuckle, and Ashley found it too contagious to ignore. He gave her a small smile and glanced at her before looking back to the road. He was glad to finally have some time to get to know the girl, it seemed that everyone else was way ahead of him in that department, even Natasha!

"I'm sorry, it was the only way to minimise the portal. I didn't mean to worry you guys." That had him furrowing his brows in confusion.

"Minimise?" His voice was unsure, but he hoped that his theory as to what it meant wasn't right.

"I can't shut down a doorway to space, but I can cut off the energy supply."  _Damn it._

"So it's still there…you can bring it back if you power it?"

Ashley nodded, liking how easily he caught on. "Yep."

Clint sighed in exasperation. They just couldn't catch a break. He reminded himself to talk to Fury when they reached the facility, and ask him to provide some surveillance for the site. The last thing they needed was anyone else finding the damn thing. The girl's voice broke him out of his thoughts

"So we're heading to some facility?"

He didn't miss the slight tinge of nervousness that had seeped into the question, and decided to reassure her.

"Yeah. Don't worry it's nothing like the HYDRA facilities, it's a place for people like us." He shrugged comfortably, but kept his eyes glued to the road instead of observing her reaction.

"People…like us?" The nervousness was gone, but it was replaced by uncertainty. She didn't even realise how worried she was about the facility, her time with HYDRA had left her with a bad impression of such things.

"Yeah, you know…people who try to help the world. It's a place for Avengers." Her eyes widened comically at his words, as if she had the greatest epiphany of all time.

"Wait, there are more of you guys?" He released a small snicker at her obliviousness, and noticed that he had laughed quite a few times in her presence.  _Well that's a first..._

"Well, sure. Can't be doing this forever! Gotta retire sometime." She nodded in understanding. She was actually surprised at how easy to talk to, he was. Much easier than Natasha, and she still felt that same warmth from him that she had the first day he met her. The same sort that her sister had whenever she was around her. Was he a father? Or perhaps an older brother? Either way, he definitely had someone he cared about; otherwise he would be more like Natasha and Red. Colder. It was that thought that prompted her to ask her next question.

"I guess so…do you know what you're going to do when that day comes?" He seemed to think about it for a moment, before finally nodding.

"I like to think I have something to look forward to. If you spend all your life fighting for something you never have time for, then what's the point in having it in the first place, right?" She crunched her nose up and narrowed her eyes in a studying stare, as she looked at his profile.

"You're one of those…secretly wise people, aren't you?"

"Hey! I'll have you know, it's no secret!" The mock hurt that the sentence started with, gave way to a chuckle by the end. And he gave her a rare and broad smile as she laughed at his answer.

"You know, I like you...we should do this more often."

"Naawww, would you look at that! I've grown on you, and it only took me…" He trailed of while checking his watch, "A whole two hours, that must be a record!" The sarcastic comment earned him a light punch to the arm, and he nudged her back before slowing the car down to a halt.

Ashley hadn't even noticed the time fly by. Clint was a cool guy, and she would definitely be talking to him again. She opened her mouth to ask why they had stopped, when she saw it. In fact, she didn't know how she missed it in the first place, the place was huge.

Glass and white walls were joined together to make the modern building, with grass on either side of the track that led to it. The large 'A' plastered on the front gave away their current location. Clint noticed that she had zoned out everything but the facility when she didn't have a snarky reply for him. And he even felt a small sense of pride. He was one of the first Avengers, after all.

"Ready to go?"

This time she snapped her head back to look at him, and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Let's do it."

* * *

The first thing she experienced when she walked into the facility behind Clint, was awe. He had already informed her that he had to speak to some guy called Fury (he even assured her it was his real name), about something important.  _Who knows?_  She wasn't really listening. So he left her to her own devices, and she walked through a countless amount of halls before she finally came to one very large open room, that looked like it was made specifically for training.

And then she was almost tackled to the ground.

"Ashley! How are you? Are you feeling better? We were so worried! Weren't we Pietro?"  _Ah, Wanda._

Ashley couldn't help but laugh at her friend. _How in the world does she like me so much?_  It was good to finally see her again, she had missed having someone to talk to…who wasn't a mother hen that was 70 years older than her or a mother hen that was a billionaire genius. Though she would definitely pay to see those…

"Yes, so worried." Pietro rolled his eyes, and his sarcastic tone earned him a quick glare from his younger sister. But Ashley couldn't care less; she knew that they had overcome their initial dislike of each other so she just gave him a playful smile instead.

"It's good to see you again, champ!" She finally returned the bear hug and gave the shorter woman a pat on the back when they released each other. Wanda just beamed at her in response. "Are the others not here yet? Clint went to talk to some guy, but I haven't seen anyone else yet…" She trailed off as she looked around the room some more, only just noticing the 3 extra pairs of eyes that had witnessed their reunion.

Wanda followed her line of sight and let out a surprised 'oh!'. She latched onto Ashley's arm, pulling her further into the room as they approached the 3 figures. She took that time to observe them some more. The first one she looked at was African-American, he had a kind face and she could tell his personality matched it. Some sort of metal vest was wrapped around his torso, and matching goggles were resting on his forehead rather than his eyes. The second man was also African-American, but he seemed older and looked slightly cheekier than the first man. But the thing that stood out most was his suit. Nope, not a tux. His  _Ironman_ suit. Her eyes then shifted to the final member. And that's who really confused her. He was…well, she had no idea  _what_  he was. He kind of looked like a fleshy robot.  _Is that even a real thing?_  But on the bright side, she didn't get any weird vibes from him, just an incredible amount of power.  _Way too much power…_

"Guys, I have someone I would like you to meet." Wanda stopped her train of thought, and Ashley looked at the three men before her, up close now. "This is Ashley. Ashley this is Sam Wilson, James Rhodes, and Vision." Ashley smiled kindly at the men who Wanda pointed out as she stated each name.  _Vision? What the hell sort of a name was that? A name for a fleshy robot._

"Ah so this is the famous Ashley we've been hearing so much about!" She was right, Sam  _was_  nice. She shook the hand he had offered her, and smiled at the grin he wore.

"The one and only." The older man-James- laughed at her response and she was slightly confused as to why it was so funny to him. Until he responded.

"Yeah, she's been hanging with Tony, alright." She shot him a devious grin. Glad to find someone else who was acquainted with Tony.

"Oh no, he's much worse." Her smile died down a little when she looked at the final member. The power coming from him had made her cautious, and she didn't like that. But she was completely stunned when he spoke to her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ashley. You contain a considerable amount of power." She processed his words but couldn't contain her spluttered response.

"J.A.R.V.I.S?!" The whole group laughed at the shock on her face, and Pietro (who she didn't realise followed them) released a loud snort that resulted in even more laughter.

"I'm sorry, that just came as a shock. Your energy readings are off the charts too, and it's nice to meet you all. I can't really say I've heard a lot about you…I didn't even know about this place. But I'm sure we'll all get along just fine."

They shared some more small talk, mainly talking about her time at the Tower and the HYDRA raid that left her in a coma, before Wanda seemingly had enough.

"Oh you must be curious about this place! Come, Pietro will show you around…I will meet you when I complete my training." She smiled at Ashley before shooting a look at Pietro that clearly said: 'Behave'. The elder Maximoff simply raised his hands in mock surrender and watched as his sister gave Ashley a final hug. He didn't even notice the small smile that had replaced the scowl he usually wore when witnessing such things.

As soon as Ashley turned around, she noticed that Pietro was out of sight. She frowned before her eyes found his form in the far doorway. _Oh right…Road Runner_. She ignored the chiding words Wanda was throwing his way, and jogged over to the door slowly. He rolled his eyes at Wanda but slowed down to give Ashley a proper tour. He was glad that they were more comfortable talking to each other now, he dreaded to think how awkward it would be if they were still at the 'throwing each other around' stage.

But what nagged at his mind was the conversation they had earlier that morning, and he had every intention of asking her about it.

"Ready?" he asked with a small smile and a cocked brow.

"You know it, hot stuff."

 


	12. Chapter 12

"So how often do you guys have to come here?"

The tour with Pietro was going surprisingly well, and Ashley couldn't deny that they had much more in common than she originally thought. It was a nice change.

The elder Sokovian looked down at her while he replied, as they continued walking through the modern halls of the facility, making their way back to the main room.

"I don't have to come here often. I have control of my speed now, but Wanda is more…complicated." He continued when he saw the brunette raise an inquiring eyebrow. "Her powers have more variety, she can do more than I can, so she must train harder."

Ashley nodded in understanding. She knew exactly how hard one would have to train when their powers could easily overwhelm them. There was no doubt in her mind that Wanda would be an exceptionally dangerous person to her enemies, and she was fortunate that the older woman seemed to have no effect on her.

"I guess I'm lucky in that respect."

"I don't understand." Pietro would never admit it, but he too was enjoying the chat. He hadn't realised it, but he was the only one other than Wanda that seemed to know anything personal about Ashley's past. He was aware that she had shared more than he originally thought she would with him, but he didn't know how much Tony or even Steve knew.

"Well you guys were 'given' your powers," She raised her hands in air quotes as she said the word, so that he wouldn't misunderstand her meaning, before continuing. "I was born with them, as I grew they grew. What I'm trying to say is that I didn't really have to train in order to control them, it's something I was raised doing."

That made sense to him, and he had to agree that it would have been much easier if his sister had the same advantage, but there was a thought pestering him, that made his brows scrunch together in confusion.

"But I thought you could lose control of it…"

She hummed in response, following him through the hallways before voicing an answer. It was true, she could lose control quite easily if the right buttons were pushed…it had only  _really_  happened once. Pietro didn't miss the same look of pain morphing her features, but it was gone just as quickly as it had come, and he decided to listen to her response before inquiring about it.

"Yeah I can, but that's only if I go green. That only really started happening after I moved to Vancouver. I don't know how I developed that ability to be honest. The one I was born with allows me to absorb energy, but when I was 12 I guess it stared to evolve or something…who knows?" She shrugged nonchalantly, even if she was secretly curious as to how the power originated.

Her answer raised a lot of red flags in his mind, and he mentally added more questions to his list that he would eventually ask her.  _Moved to Vancouver?_  Was she not born there? He always believed that she was, and her family merely left her there. How could she not know how she gained the ability? Surely it didn't just happen overnight…he was never good at science, but he was fairly certain that evolution took  _slightly_  longer than one night. But he couldn't ask such things yet, they were only just getting past their initial animosity towards each other and he didn't want to ruin the moment by bringing up memories of the past.  _One question surely can't hurt..._

"I see. Can I ask you something without you getting mad at me?" She chuckled at the question. Two weeks ago he wouldn't have cared about her getting angry at him, in fact he would most likely do it intentionally just for the sake of making her mad. Ashley knew that she was calm most of the time, with very little that could rile her up, so she smiled as she looked up at him, and gave him an encouraging nod. Pietro merely swallowed uneasily before asking.

"At the Tower…when we spoke, did I do something to insult you? It's just," He threaded a hand through his silver hair, trying to find the right words to say. "You left, and the look on your face…like the one you had just now…" The question was dragging on, and he could feel himself grow warmer as she set her contemplative gaze on his pale face. Thankfully he didn't have to respond, because she showed him some mercy.

"You didn't do anything wrong, I'm sorry that I left you hanging like that. There are just some things that I don't like thinking about, and I happened to remember one of them in that moment." She genuinely did feel bad for doing that to him, and wasn't aware that he even took notice. Was she that transparent? It didn't matter, it wouldn't happen again.

"Your sister?" He had asked it in a mere whisper, aware that he was treading on thin ice. To his relief, she just shook her head and gave a small smile, as if the memory of her sister made everything better.

"Uh, no. My sister was always there for me, the only time I can actually say that she let me down was the day they left me. But even that wasn't her fault." He was glad to hear that she at least had one person in her past that looked out for her, he could only imagine how easy it would be for people to neglect her when they realised that she could fend for herself because of her power. He also noticed that she avoided answering exactly what had hurt her, but he wouldn't push the issue. For now he would focus on her family; something, he noted, that she was becoming more comfortable discussing with him. He couldn't figure out for the life of him, why he was so interested in learning more about her when he obviously had come to terms with her not being a threat. There was no reason for further interrogation.

"Your parents…were they not kind to you?"

She knew that he was just curious, and that his questions weren't born from any malicious intent, so she decided to indulge him. After all, they'd not get very far if they knew next to nothing about each other, and she generally didn't mind discussing her past…as long as he didn't ask for any details about the rest of her family. She could talk about herself, but the specifics in relation to her sister and father would remain unsaid. He didn't need to know that sort of information just yet.

"Actually I was adopted by my father when I was 3…I think. He raised me until I was 12. My real mom left me. Funny how that keeps happening, huh?" She gave a humourless chuckle, but he could clearly see that she held no interest for her mother. What he had noticed from their previous discussions was the hurt she had when thinking about her most recent family abandoning her.  _Because of her sister…_

Before he could reply, the door at the end of the hallway swung open, signaling that the rest of the team had finally arrived. He noticed the stunning smile break out over her face when she saw Tony and Steve enter, and his arm shot out involuntarily.

Ashley felt him grip her arm softly, and snapped her attention back to him in question. His eyes widened and he slightly gaped at her, showing her that he obviously had done it in the spur of the moment, and had no idea what to say to her. But she waited patiently as he regained his composure, and adopted the same blank expression he would wear when he first met her, the one that screamed 'I don't even care'.

He would curse himself for it in the days to come, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out what had possessed him in that moment. He almost slapped himself when he said it, but he said it anyway.

"Don't worry I-We...won't leave you, Ashley."

To his relief she just gave him a grateful smile and a small nod, before bounding over to Stark and the Captain. He threaded his hand through his hair again and watched her walk away, puffing his cheeks out as he exhaled.  _What was that?!_

* * *

"As long as she doesn't find out, we'll be fine."

"As long as who doesn't find out?"

Tony and Steve shared a meaningful look when they heard the question. They should have paid more attention to who was on the other side of the entrance, or just discontinued their conversation altogether. Nevertheless, Tony gave her a borderline fake grin after finally noticing her; he still hadn't forgotten about her late night adventure or their small argument in regards to a certain God of Mischief.

"Not important, what do you think of the facility?" She knew he was changing the subject, so it was easy to conclude that the 'she' in question was in fact her. But she wouldn't bother him about it, at least not yet. So she returned his fake smile with one of her own.

"It's impressive. Wanda introduced me to a few new people, actually." She tore her stare from Tony and looked at Steve instead, who gave her a charming half-smile when the irritation in her gaze softened.

"That's great, Ashley. You would have met Sam, then?" Steve was glad that she was interacting with others. She had spent so long alone, or with unwanted company, that he honestly believed she would find it difficult meeting so many people at once. But she was quite comfortable around others, and he was grateful that she wouldn't allow her troubled past to influence her current life.

"Yeah, Rhodey and Vision too, they all seem pretty nice from what I've seen." Steve nodded in agreement with a smile on his face.

"Yeah they are." He was going to continue talking but his gaze drifted over her shoulder and a serious look overcame his features. Ashley turned her upper body so that she could see what had caused the sudden change in demeanor. She quickly identified Clint and Natasha in the far doorway, but what really caught her attention was the imposing African-American man that stood between them. He was bald, and from what she could see, he had an eye patch. Even from a distance, she could see that this man was all business and had an air of superiority to him.

Before she could ask who the man was, he nodded towards Steve, and the super soldier quickly excused himself before hastily crossing the room to join the trio. Ashley had completely forgotten Tony by this point, but she looked to him in question when the stranger heavily scrutinised her before leaving with a swish of his black leather coat, the three Avengers hot on his heels.

"What just happened?" Tony merely shrugged nonchalantly, his eyes narrowing schemingly at the doorway his team had left through. He didn't like the fact that Fury still seemed to be calling the shots around the Avengers. Sure he was the one to bring them together, but it was always his messes that they would have to clean up. And the last thing Tony wanted was S.H.I.E.L.D up and running again.

"That was Fury, he's just rounding up his lapdogs. His 'ever so loyal' pets." Ashley's brows shot up at Tony's mocking words. She wasn't too fond of Tony talking about the team like that. She liked Steve and Clint, and she was still working on Natasha, but she considered them friends and even though she didn't mind Tony joking around, the way he said it made it sound like there was genuine dislike in the words. She knew she was only offended because she and the billionaire were still at odds about what had happened the previous day, and now every little thing was bothering her.

"That's not exactly a nice way to talk about people you consider your friends." Tony's eyes snapped to her own, and he almost smirked.  _Hit a nerve?_  He was still annoyed at her for leaving the hospital, and he just couldn't resist irritating her even more. So he shrugged yet again, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm sure they won't mind."

Ashley scoffed at his response, and imitated his stance. "Maybe they would, if you bothered saying it to their faces." Was this how they truly treated each other? Did he say things about her when she wasn't there either?

Tony was aware that he was pushing her buttons, but he didn't like what the girl was insinuating. He wasn't afraid to let the team know about his thoughts in regards to their secretive nature, in fact it was something he frequently mentioned to them. But that didn't mean that he held any dislike towards them, only their actions when it came to Nick Fury. He found his eyes narrowing slightly at the brunette before him, but before he could open his mouth to reply, she turned on her heel and marched off through one of the hallways. He knew that they had to talk it out, but that was never really his thing. Either way, he had to do something to get rid of the tension between them.

Ashley was having similar thoughts as she stormed off to god knows where. She knew what he had done for her was beyond anything she could have ever asked for, but the uncertainty born from Pietro's warning was rooted deep within her mind. It was a completely logical argument. Tony Stark, the man who had every reason to have major trust issues (she was aware of Stane's betrayal), was so easy to trust and befriend a complete stranger that he had found in HYDRA headquarters no less. There had to have been an ulterior motive, and there was only one that was an entirely obvious candidate.

She wouldn't show it, but it hurt her to even consider that someone was once again using her. She thought that she could maybe… _finally_ , belong somewhere where she wouldn't have to constantly wonder if the people liked her, or her power. Her father had liked her  _power_ ; her sister had liked  _her_. HYDRA had like her  _power_ ; Red had liked  _her_. In her mind, her sister and Red would always come before any other and that was because they had actually cared about _her_  and not the benefits she could provide.

So maybe Pietro was right. Just because she was free from HYDRA, didn't mean she was _free_. The lesser of two evils. But she wouldn't allow herself to be manipulated or exploited ever again, and if that meant she had to isolate herself from those she had started to call 'friend', then so be it. It seemed as if only the Maximoff twins were worthy of her trust, and that was completely fine by her.

She felt her tense shoulders slightly slacken, but it was not enough for her liking. So Ashley made her way around the facility, training and releasing all of her frustrations into the targets available. She didn't speak a word to anyone on their journey back to the Tower, and they apparently were smart enough to leave her be, only sharing questioning looks between each other. She remained silent as she made her way to her room and settled in for the night. They wouldn't see her for the rest of it.

* * *

"The hell was that about?"

As soon as Ashley was out of sight, Clint decided to voice his thoughts. He thought she would have enjoyed the day, she was happy enough when they were talking during the car ride, but that had entirely changed when they came to collect her for the ride back. The training room she was in had been completely destroyed when they found her. The targets weren't even targets any more, just training dummies on stands...that no longer held training dummies. The walls were charred black from the blasts and the shattered glass from the broken lights above was scattered all over the foam floors. The unmistakable green wisps had taken up full residence of the room like a fog, while Ashley had just sat there in the centre, eyes closed as if she was meditating.

When her eyelids finally snapped open to reveal those unnatural green eyes, every single wisp of green darted back to her, and was seemingly absorbed by which ever body part it came into contact with first. The light dimmed both in the room and in her gaze, and his well-trained eyes noticed a whole new mask taking over her face. She wasn't happy, and they all knew it.

"I don't know, she seemed fine when I last saw her. She was happy about meeting the rest of the team, she said Wanda introduced her to them." Steve was also concerned about their youngest member. Even though it wasn't official, he considered her a new team member too. He felt a need to protect the girl, he couldn't do so for his best friend, but he would try his hardest to make sure HYDRA wouldn't do those things to anyone ever again.

The team merely nodded or gave indiscernible grunts in response. Even though he wanted to resolve whatever issue was currently plaguing the girl, there was another topic on his mind that they had to discuss.

"Are we going to tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Pietro's brows furrowed as he asked the question, what did they know that he didn't?

Steve heard Tony sigh irritably, while Natasha and Clint looked at each other in a silent conversation, obviously trying to come to a decision. Pietro was going to repeat his question, but luckily Stark decided to speak up first.

"Of course, we're gonna need her, aren't we?" Unfortunately his response did little to answer the questions in Pietro's mind, and he let them know it. It was Steve that gave him a suitable answer.

"We have another mission. Another HYDRA base, Fury thinks that this is where most of their intel was kept. All of their mission files, personnel records, you name it." Steve didn't want to continue, but he knew that the elder Maximoff wouldn't appreciate being kept in the dark. "Fury wants us to take Ashley with us, he thinks she would be an asset to taking down HYDRA once and for all."

Pietro's eyes hardened. Were they all idiots? How could they even consider allowing her to go, when she had only been awake for less than two days? Not to mention the fact that something had gone very wrong after he left her earlier in the day, and he could guess  _exactly_  who had caused her ill mood. He wouldn't allow such a reckless course of action simply because they wanted to do this the easy way. Had they never found Ashley they would have to do the dirty work themselves, and not sit back while she risked her life to complete their missions for them. She was not an Avenger, not yet! Fury be damned!

"Yeah I'm glad Fury gave us his tick of approval, Cap. Really, I am," almost everyone rolled their eyes at the billionaires mocking tone; he didn't hide his dislike for authority figures. "But unless you know how to drag Little Miss Frumpy out of a temper tantrum, then I don't see how you're going to get her to come with us." Before anyone could reply, Pietro's clearly peeved voice rang out.

"She shouldn't be going in the first place. It is too soon, she hasn't recovered." Tony merely cocked a disbelieving brow at the younger man. He crossed his arms, wondering what had brought this sudden defence about.

"I'm sorry, and when exactly did you start caring about her?" The Sokovian knew that Stark enjoyed mocking and intentionally annoying others, but his sarcastic tone remained unappreciated nevertheless. But despite that, he thought that it would be a good time to explain to them that he had come to an agreement with the younger woman, and that they no longer held any disdain for each other.

"She saved my life." The two assassins in the room understood his meaning immediately. They weren't the best communicators when it came to feelings and neither was Pietro. But they understood that this was his way of saying that Ashley had earned his trust. Unfortunately not everyone made that connection.

"Oh, I get it…you're only her friend when it benefits you." The Sokovian released a disbelieving laugh at the billionaire's words.

"Funny, that you should be the one to say that." Tony took a threatening step toward the younger man, unfolding his arms in favour of letting them hang by his side. He was getting sick and tired of the kid's constant accusations and insults. He understood that the boy didn't like him due to past events, but that didn't mean that he wasn't trying his hardest to make up for his short-comings. Tony just hoped that the same thing wouldn't happen with Ashley…he knew that he was responsible for her current mood, and that just made him angrier.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Pietro had to suppress a smirk. It wasn't every day that someone could so easily ruffle Stark's feathers, in fact he was usually the one doing the ruffling. But he managed to keep his composure while also stepping forward, answering honestly as he glared at the billionaire.

"What you're suggesting is not true, but even if it was, at least I would label her a 'friend' and not a 'test subject'." So that was his problem.  _He thinks I'm using her?_  Why did everyone seem to think so little of him? Tony wasn't interested in using Ashley as a lab rat, but he couldn't understand why the Sokovian was so hesitant to bring her with them. Shutting down HYDRA would be a hell of a lot easier with her by their side, and that wasn't him trying to 'use' her, it was merely stating fact. She was now their strongest ally, and he would feel much better if they had her there for support. Yet again he faced an insinuation that didn't sit well with him, and he had to clench his fist to refrain from finally snapping at the younger man.

"'A test subject'? You mean like you?" Pietro saw red, but before the two men could lock horns like two angry bulls every head snapped to the doorway when a pain filled and heart-wrenching scream filled the temporary silence.

And Pietro was out of sight in the blink of an eye.

* * *

_"_ _I thought you said you knew how to fight."_

_Ashley was sprawled across the floor, laying on her back and almost heaving for breath. She glared at him before shutting her eyes and letting her head loll to the side from exhaustion. She didn't even bother opening her eyes when she replied._

_"_ _Yeah, well I've never had to do it for five hours straight. This brings a whole new meaning to 'ruling with an iron fist'" He merely grunted in response to her tired chuckle. In truth, he wasn't disappointed in her at all, she had fought well and he was glad that he didn't have to start from the basics with her. But he couldn't let her know that, lest she grew over-confident. He was hardly fazed by the physical activity, and stood less than a metre from her, staring down at her resting face._

_Ashley had a small smile on her face that she was unaware of. To someone observing her, they would think that she was reminiscing some sort of happy memory, but she was actually just enjoying the moment. It had been four months since Red had informed her of their new schedule. He trained her daily, and she never thought that she would actually find herself enjoying it. But she did, and she also enjoyed the quiet man's company more than anything. It had been a long time since she had a friend, and even though it was far too strange of a 'relationship' to consider her kidnapper a friend, she found herself liking him more and more as each day passed._

_She knew it was dangerous to do so, she had predicted the reasoning behind him being there the very first day._ _**They need someone to gain my trust** _ _. But he was making it difficult to not like him. Every now and then he'd get this spark of mischief in his eyes, or he'd throw a knee-weakening smirk her way, and she wanted to hate him for it. But she couldn't. Her isolation throughout life would be the death of her, she practically craved company because of it._

_"_ _Was the book ok?"_

_Her eyes slowly blinked open, and she gave him a small smile and a nod of approval. "Yeah, I really liked that one. When I'm done with Greek mythology, can you see if there are any others?" Her hopeful eyes had him quickly nodding in acquiescence. The girl had a strange effect on him, one he really didn't like._ _**At all** _ _. It felt like the longer he was in her presence the more human he became. To HYDRA he was a weapon, but to her he was something else entirely. To her he mattered…she actually_ _**cared** _ _about him to some extent, and he didn't like the strange but vaguely familiar feeling that came with that notion._

_He was very much like her. Someone with the power to change the world; he had heard it before. The man, the older one who ran things around HYDRA had told him that he had shaped the world over and over, that he was helping create a new world_ _**. A better world** _ _. He couldn't entirely remember everything about the man's visits, but the longer he spent with the girl, the more the blurriness from his memories faded. She was all he had during the past four months. He was responsible for her and HYDRA had completely left him alone for the entire time he had been seeing her._

_It was a relief being able to remember those four months. Even though nothing special had happened, he could_ _**remember** _ _. He could remember the training, the smiles, the joking. He could remember_ _**her** _ _, and that had never happened to him before. He wasn't hostile around her any more; he no longer had to remind himself to not hurt her. He could actually trust himself around Ashley, and he felt a small sense of pride in himself for it._

_But he knew HYDRA was watching their every move, and he hadn't allowed them to see the small shift in his character so far. The last thing he wanted to do was forget. So he maintained his usual gruff facade but he knew that she noticed the soft spot he had for her whenever his sincere gaze met her own. Four months, he realised, was a long time to get to know someone. Training her was not a problem, but he was still a man and she was an attractive young woman. He was aware that when they were practicing his grip on her would sometimes linger longer than necessary, and that he had to constantly try harder to hide his concern when she got hurt._

_It was an entirely new range of emotions that he wasn't even aware he had, but they were not entirely unwelcome. He knew it was dangerous to even be thinking such things. He was 'The Winter Soldier', the best assassin HYDRA had. He was meant to be as cold as his name suggested, but he couldn't help wondering what else he was. The longer he was away from HYDRA's scientists, the more his mind strayed to his past...or rather, his lack of a past._

_He urged himself to stop thinking about it, and sat down on the foam-covered floor next to the sprawled out girl. He crossed his legs and considered shifting away when he noticed just how close he had parked himself next to her. Before he could do anything he felt the palm of her hand pressing against the metal of his left shoulder, and he allowed it to guide him to the floor, so that he too was lying down. He kept his gaze on her peaceful face, taking it in before she once again opened her eyes._

_And there was that familiar feeling again. The same feeling that forced him to turn his body on its side to face her. The same feeling that forced his right hand to slowly and gently rest itself on her left cheek. The same feeling that made his heart thump that little bit harder when she finally opened her eyes to train her chocolate orbs on his icy blue ones._

_And then she had to smile at him. That soft and warm smile that could melt ice. If she hadn't done it, perhaps he wouldn't have responded as he did. But that smile had that familiar feeling forcing him to do one more thing._

_So he kissed her. And she kissed him back._

_Which is when he realised he didn't want to forget._ _**Not this** _ _._

_But then the doors were thrown open aggressively, and guards flooded the room. They were shouting at him to get up and stand down. He would have, had they not gripped her by the long dark brown strands of her hair and forcefully dragged her up from the floor. But her pained gasp was enough to remind him of who he was and what he was capable of._

_Needless to say, he disposed of those guards fairly quickly. But the quick pinch that he felt in his neck was enough to assure him that he would probably never see her again. So he stared at her, as she gripped his face in her hands and her frantic words faded into a hum while his form slackened. Despite the worry and hopelessness he saw on her features, he urged himself…he_ _**begged** _ _himself, to remember._

_He fell into unconsciousness, and he would be glad for it too, if he knew of the screams she had released while he was out._

* * *

Pietro was the first to enter the room; it was almost an instant reaction. The only time he had ever heard her scream like that was the day she tore down that portal. The day she earned his trust. When he entered, he was relieved to see that it was only a nightmare, and that she was not in any true danger.

The green sheets were tightly coiled around her pyjama-clad body, as she clenched them tight in her hands and her body jerked violently. He was about to rush forward again and wake her, but a strong hand gripped his shirt before he could move a muscle. He whipped around hastily and noticed that the others had made it.

Steve loosened his grip on Pietro's shirt, and gave a small shake of his head.

"Don't wake her. If this is a memory then she'll just lash out, and that's the last thing we want her to do right now." The younger man simply nodded in response, not liking the situation, but understanding it enough to follow Steve's advice.

The group could do nothing as they watched and waited for the nightmare to pass. They knew she would suffer through it, if the pained sounds she was releasing were anything to go by. But there was nothing they could do without risking their own safety.

So Natasha and Clint left the room with clenched jaws, While Steve and Tony stayed behind with Pietro for a while longer. The two older men had tensed and wore similar grimaces. The small whimpers and screams unsettled their stomach, and Tony had to force himself to leave, anger and disgust for HYDRA burning bright within him. Steve noted the billionaire's composition and unwillingly left the room to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

Pietro could only stare at the hurt and distraught features of the tormented woman before him. He knew the feeling of being experimented on, as did Wanda. They had both experienced the pain of it all. Which is exactly how he knew that this wasn't an experiment. This was the mark of torture.

He moved to her bedside uncharacteristically slowly, and eased himself on the opposite side of the bed from where she was laying. He gently trailed his fingertips over her right hand that was curled into a tight fist around the green sheets. He felt a small sense of relief when it slowly uncurled and slackened its grip, encouraging him to continue his soothing actions.

He didn't know how long he stayed there by her side, but the peace that had eventually settled on her features made it worth the wait.

The only thought on everyone's mind that night was:  _What the hell had they done to her?_


	13. Chapter 13

There weren't many nightmares that could take a toll on her. More often than not they consisted of unpleasant or unique memories, and if that wasn't the case, then they were those abstract fantasies that people claimed had a deeper meaning. But that morning when she experienced the familiar grogginess of waking up, she could feel the pressure in her heart and mind that her dreamland had conjured. But that wasn't the only thing she could feel.

Strangely enough, she felt the energy before she even registered the light weight resting on her right hand and fingers. Slowly, as she continued to gain consciousness, she noticed the small puffs of air hitting her cheek from beside her.  _Is someone breathing on me?_  Her eyes snapped open at the realisation, before she hastily shut them once again after the bright assault of sunlight that seeped through the edge of the window. Who was in her room? Or better yet, why were they there?

Ever so slowly, she peeked out from beneath her lashes and blinked rapidly to rid herself of the blurriness, after her eyes became accustomed to the brightness of the room. For a moment she didn't want to look to her right, worried over who she would find there. So she did all she could to remain both silent and calm, when she turned her head to come face to face with a peacefully handsome one that was slightly covered by silver strands of hair that were all too familiar.  _Pietro?_  What was he doing there?

Her brown eyes flickered across each of his features quickly, before trailing down to look at her own hand. Her brows furrowed in confusion when she noticed his large hand resting lightly on her own, but it's not like she really minded. She had been remotely aware of a calming presence while she was reliving her memories during the night, and she was grateful for the brighter memories that the presence recalled.

She wouldn't lie by saying she wasn't surprised. Obviously she was restless during the night and had either woken him or gained his attention, so he came in to check on her. It brought an involuntary smile to her face, as she continued to ponder her current situation. Pietro was a good person, she definitely knew that from her interactions with him, but she didn't think that he would care  _that_  much.  _Maybe he didn't_. Maybe he was annoyed that she had woken him, or prevented any further sleep, and just came in to shut her up.  _Unlikely._

He would have just woken her, made a snarky comment, and left. But he didn't do that, and for some strange reason, she was glad that he didn't, even if it meant she had to endure some of her worst memories.

Ashley flinched slightly when she felt a particularly strong exhale smack her in the face, and ran her remaining hand over her features as if to get rid of the feeling. It was only then that she realised what the exhale signalled, and she held her breath as he gave a light groan and his eyes fluttered open before closing once more. After realising that he wasn't alone, they snapped wide open once more, before softening when recognition set in.

"Morning, hot stuff."

Pietro gave a small smile at the whispered greeting. Of course, only she would be so casual after finding someone else in her bed who wasn't previously there. He expected that anyone else would be screaming at him, or interrogating him…something! In truth, he had to remind himself exactly where he was when he first opened his eyes to find a blurry figure before him. He only allowed himself to relax when he remembered the events of the previous night, and realised that it was just Ashley.

"Hi."

Ashley almost flinched at how attractive his accented morning voice sounded, but instead she just waited for him to realise how close they actually were in that moment and nervously scamper away. So it was even more surprising when he just laid there in the exact same position, without even moving a muscle.

"I'm sorry if I woke you during the night."

The Sokovian merely closed his eyes once more and hummed lazily in response, while she watched their hands yet again. "You didn't wake me."

Ashley arched a brow at his response, before withdrawing her gaze from their hands and shifting them to his face, only to find him already looking at her. She couldn't figure out how he was comfortable in the position they were in.  _Does he not realise that he is like 3 inches from my face?_ How was he ok with being so close to her, when he could barely stand her 3 weeks ago?

"Then why are you here?"

_Good question._  Why  _was_  he there? He would have liked to think that it was just because he wanted to help a friend, but he knew that wasn't the entire truth. His entire life it had been him and his sister against the world, and now all of a sudden he had friends that were willing to help him in any way that they could. But what was really on his mind was the fact that the woman before him, the one who didn't even entirely like him at the time, had saved his life for whatever reason. He had never asked her about it, but inside he knew that it had changed something between them, no matter how much he would try to deny it. What he really wanted to know, was if it affected her too.

"Why did you save me?" She furrowed her brows at the question, as they unblinkingly stared at each other.

"You didn't answer my question." He gave her a lazy smirk in response.

"You haven't answered mine either." At first she wanted to say 'I asked first', but she decided to not sound like a three year old, and gave him what he wanted instead.

"Why wouldn't I? It's what friends do. You needed help and I was there."

"Why did you kill them?" That question took her by surprise, mainly because she didn't really know the answer…well not entirely. So she just shrugged while his gaze flickered across her features, as if looking for something.

"Lost control, it happens sometimes." His expression looked doubtful, he obviously hadn't believed that for a second.

"Are you sure?"  _No._

"Of course." She gave him a small smile, as if to enforce that she was speaking the truth. "Your turn."

Pietro let a small smile tug at his lips before he answered. "You needed help and I was there."

Ashley rolled her eyes at the Sokovian's mocking response, but couldn't stop her own smile from coming forward.

"Well then, I guess I should probably thank you for that." he just hummed in reply, once again. His eyes took in her features one more time, and he decided to ask her whether she felt the change too. Unfortunately, before he could even open his mouth AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' could be heard coming from the kitchen. The Sokovian cursed Stark for his bad timing, and he watched as Ashley moved to sit up, his fingers missing the warmth that her own offered.

She now knew Tony was up, and after remembering the loss of her old friend in her dream, she realised that she never wanted to lose another friend again. She would never forgive herself if that happened, and it would kill her to witness it happen no matter how bumpy their friendship had become. So she came to the conclusion that it was time for her and Tony to sort out whatever was going on in their friendship, and talk it out.

With that in mind, she stood from her seated position and stretched her arms high to relieve the tension in her back. She would sort out the situation immediately.

Pietro simply watched as she did so, trying not to stare at her clothing, or rather- lack thereof. He hadn't even noticed how short the pyjama shorts were, and like any red-blooded male, he couldn't quite tear his eyes away when her shirt slightly rode up as she stretched.

He was attracted to her, he knew that from the moment he met her, but his sister's pain completely masked that feeling. He couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if they got along from the beginning. But as he watched her walk away, he decided that he did know one thing…

There was no harm in finding out.

* * *

Tony had decided to try and do something he had hardly ever done before.

Make breakfast.

It's true, he only ever tried it rarely, and even then it was only for Pepper…and usually not edible. But after the rough night that everyone had, he thought that the team and more specifically, Ashley would appreciate the small gesture.

From what he knew, there wasn't a person in the world that didn't like pancakes so that was exactly what he was trying…and arguably - _failing-_ to make. He even went as far as getting the best maple syrup Canada had to offer, hoping that their youngest member liked the sentiment behind his actions.

And of course like every other time he had experimented, Tony blared the music at full volume, slightly bobbing his head as he tried to coordinate things in the kitchen.

And that's exactly how Ashley found him.

The young woman was leaning against the doorframe with her arms lightly crossed against her chest, and a small smile on her face as she watched the billionaire struggle. She had to stifle a laugh when he decided to flip the pancake, it very nearly ended badly, but Tony seemed to catch it just before it hit the ground.

She chose to finally make her presence known, and lightly cleared her throat as he poured more of the pancake mix onto the pan.

Tony set the mix down, and snapped his attention to the new addition in the room. It felt strange to see her amused expression before him, when not even 8 hours ago the very same features were twisted in pain and hurt. Realising that he had zoned out, and was currently staring at her, he gave her a grin.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty. I'm making breakfast." He held up the pan and mix simultaneously, as if to reassure her, and Ashley inwardly chuckled at the action. However, he only seemed to notice the scowl that came with the use of the annoying nickname, and mistook her expression for something else entirely. He thought that she was still mad at him after their discussion the previous day, and his expression slightly fell with the thought. So he grabbed the large bottle of maple syrup and held it out to her.

"I got syrup. From Canada…you know, where you're from." He sheepishly explained. Ashley beamed at him. It had been a  _long_  time since she had enjoyed maple syrup, and she couldn't help but feel touched at the sentiment behind his actions. He was really trying, and that meant more to her than he would ever know.

She reached out and took it for him, before placing it on the counter beside her and wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

Tony stiffened at the contact, not quite understanding what was going on. He had assumed that she was mad at him, so the fact that she was squeezing the life out of him had definitely taken him by surprise.  _Pfft…women and their emotions._  Hesitantly he decided to pat her on the back lightly, considering he wasn't too used to hugging, especially if it wasn't with Pepper. Luckily for him, Ashley pulled away from him and gave him a blinding grin.

"I'm not mad at you Tony," she said, as if reading his mind. "But we do need to sort a few things out." The billionaire nodded in agreement before remembering the pancake that was most likely burning. With that thought he made a dash for the stove and quickly flipped the newly burnt pancake. Ashley gave a small smile when she heard him curse the stove for 'burning something so delicious and nutritious'.

After slandering the appliance, he turned around once more and decided to speak up.

"Alright, lay it on me."

"You weren't happy with me…when you came to visit me at the hospital. What did I do?" Tony cast his mind back to the day, and Ashley watched as his brows furrowed in contemplation.

"Hmm…yeah. Ok. The Loki conversation, right?" Ashley merely nodded in response, patiently waiting for him to continue. "You have to understand, Ashley. Loki tried to take over the planet, he killed hundreds - _thousands_ \- of people. He killed friends, families…he almost killed me." At that, Ashley's brows shot up, as if encouraging him to continue. Tony sighed, but he knew that the conversation was inevitable, no matter how much he didn't want to relive it.

"I'm assuming you know about the Tesseract, right?"

"Yeah, from what I've heard…it's an energy source that is inexhaustible?" Tony nodded slowly.

"Close enough. Well, like I mentioned at the hospital, Loki wanted to use the Tesseract for good ol' fashioned world domination. He basically created a portal from the roof of the Tower to allow an alien army to enter the Earth's atmosphere." He could have laughed at the small grimace she wore.

"I bet that was fun." Noticing the heavy sarcasm that laced her words, he didn't scold her for the comment.

"Oh yeah, we had a ball. But that's not the point." He moved back to remove the half burnt pancake from the pan, and pour another on it. "The point, is that we had to close that portal to prevent the rest of E.T's family from landing. Basically, I had to carry a nuke through the portal to blow the joint up." If possible, Ashley's brows shot up even further.

"I almost didn't make it back." He looked at her as soon as he had said it, hoping that she would understand where he was going with this. And she did.

"You think I agree with Loki. That I'm praising what he did to Manhattan?" She gave a chuckle that lacked any real humour in it -and Tony was pretty glad to hear it. "Tony, I don't agree with what he did. Not at all. But I'm just…you know when someone meets their favourite celebrity and they can't help but appreciate certain things about them no matter what other people might think or say?" The billionaire nodded in confused understanding. "It's like that. I mean, yeah I haven't actually met the guy, but the fact that the  _god_  I read about in all of those books while I was with HYDRA, is actually real…that he was here and had powers that distinguished him to the world…well, I just thought it was cool that there was someone like me out there. I'm not alone in this."

"Of course you're not kiddo, you have us here, every step of the way." Ashley smile at his words, grateful for the support that she knew the team would provide her.

"As much as I appreciate it, that's not the point. Regular people have always only wanted one thing from me."

"Your power." Ashley nodded at his correct assumption. But Tony couldn't help but wonder if that's what she thought about  _them._

"I thought that maybe… if Loki already had power, he wouldn't need me for it…"

_Oh._  That's what she wanted. A friend that wouldn't use her, one that didn't _need_  power from her. If he didn't need the power, then she could assume that he was a genuine friend. But this was Loki, and there was  _nothing_ genuine about him…as his 'God of Lies and Mischief' title suggested.

"Wait a minute," he shook his head as his brows furrowed. "Don't tell me you actually think that we're using you for your power…" He looked at her expression, curious about what he would find there. The fact that she dropped her own gaze to the floor with an emotionless look on her face, gave him the answer he was hoping  _not_  to receive. "You do." It wasn't a question.

"I  _did_ …I'm not so sure anymore." She crossed her arms over her chest almost defensively, and looked up to see his confused expression.

"Why?" That was a tricky question… _why? How to explain without throwing Pietro under the bus._

"Can you honestly say you never considered it? That it never once crossed your mind? You shouldn't have trusted me…liked me, as much as you guys did when I first got here. I could have killed Wanda. I could have done the same to all of you if I had it in me to be a killer."

"But you didn't-"

"You couldn't know that! You couldn't know what I was like! What was I supposed to think Tony? I gave you no reason to trust me, but you treated me like an old friend. It's not that difficult to figure out where my mind would go."  _There! Thoughts explained, Pietro = safe._

"Alright, honestly…yeah, I did consider it. The first day we met you, hell! Even before we met you, I was interested in your energy output. I thought it could be useful, I thought it could help…me, the world, everything. But I didn't know you were a _person_. The only thing with similar readings to you, is the Tesseract. We met you and we liked you. You're a friend now, and we protect our own, so I'm asking you to see it from my perspective now. I-as a scientist- found something unique, unexplainable, and I wanted to experiment…but I can't, not now. I know you, I _like_  you, you're a good kid who's been through a crap load more than most and I  _can't_  use you. I  _won't,_ so get it out of your head."

Ashley was surprised at the stern sincerity in his eyes, and there was no doubt in her mind that he was being 100% truthful with her. She had nothing to worry about with the Avengers. The thought alone made her grin, and the billionaire returned it.

"Besides, the Cap would kill me if even thought about it." His cheeky grin and wink earned him a humoured chuckle and a nudge. "So we're good now?"

Ashley gave a silent sigh of contentment.

"Yeah Scrooge, we're good."

* * *

It was a dull morning for Clint and Natasha. The former was sprawled across the sofa and half asleep, while the latter occupied the armchair beside the sofa and was boredly watching reruns on the huge TV that Tony had no doubt made himself.

Although they were both used to the behaviour that they had witnessed the previous night, it was always different when it was someone they knew personally. The fact that it was their youngest member that had to experience, well…they didn't even know what she experienced…but the fact that it was someone so young made them pretty mad.

They hadn't been able to sleep that night, opting instead to go to the gym and beat the crap out of some boxing bags, then each other, and then some more boxing bags. It was for that reason that Clint found himself almost falling asleep on the couch before a cheerful voice snapped his eyes wide open.

"Well aren't we a lively bunch." The archer gave a small huff, not quite energetic enough to laugh outright. But he was glad to see that the girl seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood.

"Can't you just  _feel_  the energy pouring right off us?" Ashley released a small chuckle at his sarcasm, not knowing if he actually knew how right he was.

"Actually…I can." She winked at Natasha, and was pleasantly surprised when the assassin gave her a teeny tiny smirk in return. It wasn't much, but it was better than indifference.

Clint smiled outright and clicked his fingers before pointing at her with the same hand. "Right. Powers." Ashley watched as his face lit up, making him look like he had come up with the single greatest idea in the world. "Wait, you control power right?" She nodded, not knowing where his obvious comment was going. "Can't you just give me more energy?" The excited look on his face even earned a snicker from Natasha.

Ashley simply crossed her arms for the millionth time that day, and looked at him in faux contemplation. "What's in it for me?" he knew she was just messing with him, but he humoured her nonetheless.

"I don't know, what do you think Nat?" The woman in question smirked at the question before replying.

"Oh no, Clint. You got yourself into this, you can get yourself out. There is  _way_  too much red in my ledger." Ashley was happy to see Natasha joking around with them. She had wondered what the assassin was like previously. It was only too obvious that something in her past had put her in this solemn, if not depressed, mood.

Clint rolled his eyes at her comment. "Fine, what are the stakes kid?" He leaned back, crossing his own arms as he did so, and patiently waited for her response.

Ashley took a moment to think about it, before an idea struck her.

"Train with me."

The sentence gained the attention of both Clint and Natasha, who shared a curious look before retuning their eyes to the new recruit.

"What sort of training are we talking about?" Clint actually didn't mind the condition. He enjoyed training and he was interested in how well she could protect herself…without her powers.

"Just some fighting, you know, no powers involved." She smiled when she saw the small spark of interest in Nat's eyes. Even though she genuinely wanted to get back into training, she really wanted to spend more time getting to know the assassin, and training was something they could possibly bond over.

Clint smirked at her words.  _Doesn't know what she's getting into._  Natasha and Clint were trained to be some of the best assassins in the world. Even though Ashley was a good kid, who packed one hell of a punch with her power, he guessed that she was a complete novice when it came to fighting. She wouldn't need self-defence training with the amount of power she had, so why bother? She would be in for a real shock when Natasha started to train with her.

Of course, she knew that they would doubt her, and couldn't wait to see how much of her training she had remembered. Weapons were no problem for her. Her sister had drilled knife skills into her during her entire childhood, and it was something that she would never forget. Hand to hand would also be a walk in the park…well maybe not, because she was still going to be facing assassins, but if she had to guess…she would say that Red was better than both of the assassins currently in the room with her. He was definitely stronger! If she could hold her own against him most of the time, then she wouldn't doubt that she could do the same against Natasha. Maybe.

What she was really interested in was using a gun. She hadn't been allowed to do so in HYDRA, there was apparently 'too much of a risk'. And when she was with her 'father', he wouldn't stand for anything besides her power being used. He would never allow her to use a measly gun, when she could use something much more efficient.

"Alright, tomorrow. 8am sharp. In the gym." Ashley beamed at both of them, while they once again shared a knowing smirk. She walked forward and rested her hand on Clint's bare forearm, smiling as she watched the green slowly seep into his skin.

Clint shuddered at the contact, and looked to Ashley in surprise before shooting Natasha an impressed grin. The woman merely cocked a curious brow at his expression, while Ashley turned and made for the door. "Thanks guys!"

Noticing Nat's expression, Clint shook his head in wonder. "So cool."

The assassin rolled her eyes in response, but smiled nonetheless. It seemed that Ashley had that effect on people.

* * *

Pietro was in his room, sprawled across his bed with his arm covering his face, when a small knock sounded at his door. It was a generally boring day…yes, even the Avengers had those!

The boredom had gotten to him long ago, so he decided that if he wasn't going to do anything anyway, he might as well take a nap, or at least try to. Usually he couldn't really sleep during the day so instead he was just lying there doing absolutely nothing. He glanced over at the alarm clock on his bedside table, that read 4:37, and his brows furrowed while he wondered who would be at his door at this time in the afternoon…usually no one was even in the Tower at this time. He laced his hands behind his head and propped his head up before speaking.

"Come in."

Although the command wasn't as loud as he wanted it to be, the person on the other side of the door heard it regardless, and the door slowly swung open to reveal someone he hadn't really expected to see for the rest of the day.

Ashley shot him a small smile and slowly entered the room. She had never been in there before, so her eyes immediately flickered around taking in as much as possible. She should have known that blue would be the colour that would dominate the room, from the curtains to the bed sheets. She noticed that unlike her, Pietro had a gaming console set up where she had her bookshelves, but she couldn't really distinguish which one. Overall, it had a very warm and cozy vibe to it -something she really hadn't expected from  _Pietro's_  room.

The Sokovian watched the woman study his room with a small smile tugging at his lips when he noticed the fascinated look in her eyes. She seemed to forget that he was there as she continued to observe the interior, and he almost thought that she wouldn't even acknowledge him, until she trained her dark eyes on him with her own small smile still plastered on her face.

"I like your room, it feels more…homey, than mine."

He cocked a brow at her observation, and huffed out a small chuckle. With the smile still on his face, he shuffled over to the far side of the bed and patted the newly available mattress beside him, when he realised that she had nowhere to sit.

"Is yours not similar?"

Ashley gratefully accepted the seat but unlike him, she sat cross-legged and faced him, shaking her head slightly at his question.

"Not really, I'll show you sometime." She had to backtrack when she noticed the suggestive smirk and cocked brow that he shot her way. " Not like that you little perv." She laughed despite her comment, and he joined her.

"Little?" Ashley rolled her eyes at the 'offended' tone he had taken.  _Men and their pride!_

"Fine. You BIG perv." He grinned at the cheeky comment and nudged her shoulder in good humour.

"Is everyone still here?" He didn't really care either way, but he didn't want to deal with an awkward silence so he decided to ask, while she looked down to trace the stitching of his quilt.

"Nah, Tony went out with Pepper, Steve is meeting Sam somewhere in Brooklyn…I don't know why, he just said he was looking for something…I don't know." She shrugged nonchalantly before continuing. "Clint and Nat are…well, does anyone ever know where they are?"

Pietro hummed in agreement, the assassins were exceptionally difficult to keep track of, so the rest of the team didn't even bother trying. But now his mind was on another matter that he was admittedly too chicken to ask about. But he thought he would try his luck, and see if the woman before him was any closer to trusting him. For some reason it was important to him and he was well aware of the fact that he knew the most about her. But he wasn't so sure that she would trust him with this piece of information.

"Ash?"

She hummed in response before slowly tearing her gaze from the quilt and looking at him expectantly. She could see the reluctance in his expression, and she could tell that he was going to stray into memories she wasn't sure she wanted to discuss. She was well aware that it was only a matter of time before curiosity won out, and he asked her about what he had witnessed.

"What did they do to you?" She wasn't expecting the gentle whisper, or the soft look in his eyes as he asked the question, but it was all it took to help make up her mind.

She could tell him. Maybe not everything…but more than she would ever tell anyone else she knew. Even Steve. And it was then that she realised that Pietro seemed to be the one she would always go to for these things. He was like her own personal psychologist, and as absurd as it would sound…she trusted him with everything she would say. She knew he wouldn't tell anyone, because they were too similar, he understood her situation too well. He knew what it was like, and she realised that Tony was right…maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought she was.

Pietro wasn't expecting an answer. At all. So when she opened her mouth and actually started telling him more about her time with HYDRA, he almost flinched in surprise.

"I had a friend once. Now that I think about it, I guess you could say that he was my only friend -not including my sister. He was always there, helped me when I needed it, taught me more than I thought possible in such a short time…but he was always  _there_. Until  _they_  took him away."

Pietro saw the haunted look in her eyes, and straight away he knew that she must have been thinking of this friend the previous day. In all honesty, he didn't really know what to say to her. The topic was unexpected, but he automatically knew that 'they' referred to HYDRA.

"How did you meet him?" She gave a small laugh at the question, or the memory, Pietro didn't know.

"Would you believe that I became best buds with the guy that dragged me to HYDRA in the first place?" She looked at him, and noted the puzzled look on his features. Not that she blamed him, he probably thought she had some weird case of Stockholm Syndrome…and when she thought about it, she realised that that's  _exactly_  what she had.

"I know it's weird. But he was genuinely a good guy that had no choice but to follow his orders. He taught me how to fight, and he brought me books every second day. He was actually a really cool guy." She smiled to herself at the memory of her lost friend, but she was thrown out of her memories when Pietro spoke up again.

"What happened to him?" _I wish I knew._

"He…he did something he shouldn't have done, and they took him away for it. I don't know if they killed him in the end, but they hurt him." She tried to remain as calm as possible when thinking back to that day. After the anaesthetic wore off, was the beginning of memories she never wanted to remember.

"Last night I was remembering that day."

Pietro nodded in silent contemplation, trying to process all that she was telling him. "You said they hurt him…did they do the same to you?"

"They didn't have to."

_Hurting him was painful enough for her._  Obviously the man had suffered greatly for whatever it was that he did, and Pietro couldn't help but feel ashamed at the small spark of jealousy that had ignited within him after so clearly hearing how much affection her tone held for the stranger. That small spark fuelled his next question, and he once again had to mentally berate himself for his impulsiveness.

"Did you love him?"

Ashley could sense something strange in his tone, but she couldn't identify what it was. Instead she scrunched her brows at the question. Had she loved Red?  _No._  She hadn't, but he would hold a special place in her heart. He was her first friend, after all, and he was the only one who protected the girl that everyone expected to never need protecting. So needless to say, her answer was quick and confident.

"No. I didn't."

The elder Maximoff felt relief swell within him, and he then knew exactly what was happening to him.  _Oh boy._  He looked over to her and noticed that her eyes were closed and that she had moved to lay down beside him. As he took in her soft features he felt that all too familiar attraction pull at him, but he couldn't find it in him to try and convince himself otherwise. But he didn't have to think it over for long, because she slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at him completely.

"I know that you know."

His eyes grew wide in barely concealed shock.  _What?_  Could she read minds now too? How could she possibly know that he had come to terms with liking her?

"Uh…know w-what?" He cursed himself for stuttering like an idiot, and pretty much admitting that she was right.

"I know that you know about the secret that Tony and Steve are so desperate to keep from me." She rolled onto her stomach, lacing her fingers together under her chin, and raised her brows expectantly.

Pietro silently sighed in relief. She freaked him out for a moment there, and he was actually glad that she reminded him of his discussion with Tony the night before. He was going to tell her. There was no way that he would allow them to risk her life once again. But he could have his fun first.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." The giant smirk on his face said otherwise.

"Oh I think you do." She gave him a playful shove. "Tell me."

He just chuckled and closed his eyes, obviously trying to ignore her. But the small shock of electricity that he felt jerked his eyes open immediately. He narrowed his eyes at her cheeky smile.

"Fine, I'll tell you…" She clapped happily, but that quickly stopped when she heard the rest of his sentence. "If I get something in return."

This time it was her turn to narrow her eyes at him and he watched as she bit her bottom lip in contemplation.  _God, please don't do that._

"What do I have to do?" He smirked, knowing that he had won this 'negotiation'.

"Nothing at the moment. But you will owe me a favour."

It sounded harmless enough, unless said favour involved sacrificing herself of course, but she wanted to know what Tony and Steve were hiding from her too much to care about what his favour could potentially be.

"Deal. Spill."

Pietro put his hand forward, and she rolled her eyes as she shook his larger hand in agreement.

"We have another mission. Nothing too serious, just a small HYDRA base." He didn't elaborate when he saw the confused look on her face, not wanting to peak her interest… _then she would never agree to stay behind_. And he was already making it seem like an easy mission, when he knew it was going to be anything but!

"Why didn't Tony want me to know that?"

"He did. The rest of us didn't." She cocked a brow at the statement, and he could tell that she wasn't too happy about what he had said. "Look, this isn't going to be difficult. You just woke up, and you shouldn't be in the field so soon after your injury. We can deal with this on our own." He was glad to see her nod in understanding, but he had a feeling that this would not be the end of it.

They laid there in silence for a long while, neither willing to break the peaceful silence. It wasn't until Ashley remembered their previous discussion that she decided to quietly say something.

"Hey, hot stuff?" He softly smiled at the nickname.

"mmm?"

"Thanks for listening." He could tell that she was on the verge of sleep, and he didn't know if she would hear him, but he responded anyway.

"Always."


	14. Chapter 14

_"W-we will have to work quickly. Her power will a-absorb whatever it can until she regains consciousness."_

_He looked at the shaking man before him._

_Bald, short, skinny… **weak**._

**_But._ **

_But he was useful. At least until he did what was required of him, and when he completed his task he too would be disposed of, like the many before him._

_"Do what you have to, just make sure to do it right… **Doctor**." The doctor in question shuddered at the way in which  **he** spat out the title. His nerves were already all over the place, the intimidating man before him was doing nothing to aid them. Nevertheless, he nodded rapidly, not willing to risk the punishment that would surely come with disobedience. _

_"O-of course, I swear that I w-will take the best possible c-care of your d-daughter."_

_He had to suppress the sinister smirk that threatened to rise at the fear the doctor was displaying. He knew he was weak, but was he truly such a coward? He decided that he didn't really care, and so he dismissed the small man with a single wave of his hand, and watched as he scampered away into the assigned workspace obediently. Turning his head to the left he caught the eye of one of his servants._

_"Bring me my daughters."_

* * *

_"You have to make sure you flick your wrist, Az, or it won't have the same effect. You're great in combat, but you'll need to work on throwing a bit more."_

_Az nodded at the advice and tried again, this time flicking her wrist and watching as the knife sailed through the air and imbedded itself just wide of the bullseye on the target. Her sister watched on and gave a small smile of approval._

_"Much better."_

_But before she could say any more, a man she recognised as Faran, one of her father's servants, burst into the room and interrupted their training session._

_"I'm sorry for the intrusion, but your father would like to see you. **Both**  of you." His eyes flittered between the two females and the elder's jaw tightened at his words. She knew not to take her anger out on the man before her, he was only relaying a message and Faran was genuinely a nice guy from what she had seen. So she merely gritted her teeth and gave a curt nod in his direction. There was only one thing her father would have summoned them  **both** for, and she didn't like that, not one bit._

_Az just looked up to her sister, a silent question passing between them, but she only received a small shake of the head in answer. They weren't often interrupted in recent times, and in truth, she hadn't seen her father in months. Her sister had regular meetings with him. Now that she was 12 years old she understood the work of an assassin, and that the meetings were necessary after a mission. What she didn't understand was the troubled expression her sister had been donning after recent meetings. What was wrong with her?_

_"Come."_

_She was so lost in thought she didn't even notice her sister reaching her left hand out for her to take, whilst the other held the door open for them. But she didn't even hesitate in taking it._

_Making their way to their father was a completely silent journey, neither knowing quite what to say to the other. But it was a trip that was far too short for either of their likings._

_As the door was pushed open, they both immediately recognised the imposing figure of their father facing away from them and staring out into the night sky. They knew that he was aware of their presence. How could he not be? But still he remained silent and unmoving as they approached him hesitantly._

_"You asked for us, father?"_

_At his elder daughter's words, he finally and slowly, turned to face them with a sickeningly fake smile on his face._

_"Ah, my daughters. How you have both grown so…powerful, in your own ways." His gaze landed on his youngest by the end of his sentence. "But what's the point of power if we don't use it correctly?" Neither of the girls said anything while they watched their father slowly approached them with heavy footsteps. "At the right time…and in the right place." His cryptic words were doing little to settle the unease that had built up within the child._

_"But then again, with use comes the risk of loss. And we can't have that now can we? **It is time**." _

_With those final 3 words his elder daughter's eyes snapped up to meet his dark gaze, fear and rage flowing from them. He almost smirked at the protectiveness that she possessed for the youngster._

_"But father, I don't think-"_

_"I don't care what you do and don't think, **child**. There are powers in this world that are beyond you…that are beyond everything you think you know. And they must be protected, until their time once again comes." He hadn't anticipated the resistance she would continue to show, but for the sake of appeasing the child he refrained from punishing his elder daughter outright. _

_"It's too much of a risk! We can find another way to hide it…someone else that can contain it-"_

_"There is **no one**  else. This was her purpose from the very beginning. You know this, and you agreed to it, the fact that you have grown attached to the child is your own fault. There is no room for sentiment." Az merely watched the two adults argue about what she assumed was herself. But the confusion was clear on her face as she continued to listen. _

_"We can't just leave her there! It's more of a risk than keeping her here. You can't-"_

_"ENOUGH!" The woman was silence by the roar of her father, and Az flinched in fear. She wasn't a fool, she knew that her father could do a lot of damage to anyone or anything he wanted to. Her sister was on thin ice, and she expected that it would crack at any moment._

_"You don't have a say in this. The procedure will begin immediately, you may leave."_

_"It will destroy her-"_

_"Gamora." She lowered her eyes at the growled warning that promised punishment later, and gave a curt nod to her 'father'. Her eyes briefly met her younger sister's as she turned to walk away, and Az was grateful for the small reassurance they offered. Even if she knew deep down that things wouldn't be the same after this encounter._

_With the final thud that came with the door closing, the girl returned her gaze to her father as he held his bulky purple hand out towards her. She slipped her own into his engulfing grip and trailed behind him quickly as he all but dragged her to her fate._

_She never could remember what happened after the doctor sedated her. But Vancouver seemed nice when she finally woke up._

_Yeah, things were **definitely**  not the same after that._

* * *

By 9 o'clock, Pietro found himself impatiently waiting outside of the Avengers facility for his sister to finally emerge. She had notified him earlier in the morning that she would be returning to the Tower that day, and he begrudgingly left the comfort of his bed in order to pick her up.

Remembering her message conjured new thoughts, and he found himself softly smiling at the memory of waking up besides Ashley yet again. He was glad that she felt comfortable enough in his presence to essentially let her guard down. Although he knew that her guard was never _truly_  down, he couldn't help but feel a semblance of pride at the thought of earning her trust after all that had happened between them. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the large door swing open, nor did he notice the woman approaching him.

"And what has made you so happy today, brother?"

Wanda had been staring at him oddly ever since she noticed the dazed smile he wore, and even though she could technically find out on her own, she wanted him to tell her himself. She promised him that she would not use her powers on him, and she would never break a promise to her brother.

Pietro, however, almost panicked when he heard her voice, and mentally cursed himself for making his feelings so obvious to her. But he was quick to compose himself once more, and replaced the smile with a cheeky smile.

"Just happy to have you back, sister."

Wanda had to suppress a smirk at the obvious lie, and she had to admit that her curiosity was definitely peaked, knowing that he was trying to hide the truth from her. It meant that he was either embarrassed or he was up to something. And judging by the smile that had been on his face, it had to be the former.

"You used to be a better liar, Pietro."

He chuckled at the statement, shaking his head as he made his way to the car that he had  _borrowed_  from Stark. He didn't like keeping things from his sister, but this was one thing that he would never in a million years admit to her. At least, not yet.

"That is no way to speak to your elders." He smirked when she rolled her eyes. He loved being able to play the 'I'm older than you' card, and he knew how much it annoyed her.

"I could always just find out on my own." She crossed her arms over her chest as she got comfortable in her seat.

"You could…but you won't." Although he spoke with confidence, he really wasn't sure whether she would do so, just to prove him wrong. But he was glad to see her shoulders slump in defeat, even if her crestfallen expression shot a pang of guilt through him. "I promise you will know soon, sister. I just need more time to figure it out."

That seemed to be enough to placate his sister, and Wanda gave him a nod of approval. He silently sighed in relief, knowing that she wouldn't stop chattering about it if he did tell her that he had developed something for their newest recruit. He knew she would be thrilled, and even more smug at the fact that her new best friend had grown on him. After all, she  _was_  the one who kept urging him to give Ashley a chance…and now look at him, giddy at the mere thought of sleeping  _next_  to her!

He shook his head yet again at the thought. Oh how fate was laughing at him now!

* * *

Ashley had awoken an hour after Pietro, at around 7am, and quickly headed to her own room to prepare herself for the busy day ahead. She settled for a pair of black running shorts, with a short sleeved white Nike shirt and matching pair of sneakers.

Knowing that she was pressed for time, she skipped breakfast altogether.  _It's not like I won't have any energy._ She was looking forward to the challenge she would have to face, and was eager to see what the assassins had in store for her. So she couldn't hide the excitement in her steps as she hastily made her way down to the training room of the Tower.

Clint and Natasha on the other hand, had been down there for the past hour, doing some light sparring before the young woman arrived.

"So, do you think she'll be able to handle it?" The archer asked as he narrowly avoided a well placed punch.

Natasha simply shrugged and threw another towards his sternum. "I guess we'll find out."

He refrained from shaking his head at the short answer. It was no mystery that his best friend took Banner's departure harder than most. It took him a while to realise it, in fact he probably wouldn't have notice anything at all had his wife not pointed it out to him, but he now knew for sure that Natasha clearly cared about Bruce more than she had cared about any other in that way. Well…from what he had seen, at least.

That moment of distraction was all it took for the woman to land a flurry of punches that sent him to the ground. Natasha smirked at his stunned face and held out her hand to help him up, which he took immediately.

"I thought being an assassin meant you were _good_  at fighting."

Apparently they were  _both_  lost in thought, for neither of them had noticed that Ashley had joined them during their session. Clint rolled his eyes at the remark, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he did so.

"Ha ha, why don't you come over here and I'll show you just how  _good_  this assassin is."

Ashley grinned at his reply and strode towards him enthusiastically, the action making Natasha cock a brow in curiosity. Clint shook his arms out to relieve the tension, as his partner stepped out of the boxing ring that they had been practicing in, to allow Ashley to take her place.

The younger woman gave her a smile, as she quickly organised her long hair into a tight pony tail. She took up the padded, fingerless gloves that had been provided and strapped them on before facing her opponent. She watched as Clint cracked his neck from left to right and pounded his fists against each other in anticipation. The slow smirk that spread across his face was enough to display his confidence in the fight's outcome. But before either could move, Natasha's authoritative voice cut through the room.

"Okay, rules. Clean fight, but no holding back. No cheating." She looked to Clint at the final statement who had the nerve to look offended, before shifting her gaze to Ashley. "No powers." By the end of the sentence she had crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture that seemed to dare them to go against her rules. Of course neither of them would.

Instead they both looked at each other and bumped fists before focusing themselves on the task at hand.

As Nat had predicted, it was Clint who took the first punch. She knew that he would try to test the waters first, considering they both knew very little about the girl's fighting ability and style. She wasn't too surprised to see Ash block all of his attempts as he continued to throw punches her way. Apparently Clint wasn't overly happy with the outcome of his attack though.

"What's the matter? Too scared to go on the offence?"

Ashley had been waiting patiently for the moment of distraction that would provide an opening for her to attack, and as soon as he opened his mouth, she knew that it had come.

Natasha watched with a satisfied smirk, as the younger woman pounced at him just as he finished taunting her. The rapid punches she sent towards his head were enough to obscure his vision so that he was caught off guard when she performed a leg sweep that knocked him to the ground. He had no time to recover when he hit the floor; she was on him immediately, small fists pounding at him from every which way in a relentless assault.

"Alright…Alright!" Ashley climbed off of him and grinned in triumph. They were both caught by surprise when they heard a snicker come from Natasha.

"What's the matter  _Hawkeye_? Not good enough to go on the  _defence_?"

Ashley laughed at the snarky comment, and even Clint chuckled when he realised that Natasha seemed to be enjoying herself for the first time in a long while.

"Oh yeah? Well why don't you give it a shot,  _Black Widow_?"

The woman in question half-smiled in response, and made her way into the ring while Clint rolled out of it.

Ashley watched the interaction with a soft smile on her face, it was nice to see Clint trying to cheer his partner up. She didn't know what it was, but there was definitely something bringing her down long before Ashley had even arrived.

"I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy this." She had seen the end of Clint and Natasha's fight, and she wasn't very keen on having to deal with  _that_. Sure, she was a pretty decent fighter, but she had always been better with knives and Natasha was fantastic!

"I know I am!" Clint's cheeky reply earned him a glare from the younger woman.

Yet again, Ash bumped her opponent's gloves, and braced herself for the onslaught that was expected. And Natasha didn't disappoint.

Nat wasn't as strong as Clint, but she was much faster, and blocking seemed to be an ineffective method this time. She had to attack. So she did. Minutes passed as they threw punches and kicks at each other. In truth, Ashley thought it was a miracle that she hadn't slipped up as of yet, but she had a feeling that Natasha could have ended the fight long ago. Just as she was thinking that, the redhead sent a particularly hard kick to her stomach, and latched onto her as soon as she leaned forward from the impact. Nat's arm was tightly wrapped around Ashley's neck in a choke hold that had forced the younger woman to the mat. In a matter of seconds she was gently tapping her gloved hand on the bicep that was suffocating her, and Natasha instantly released her.

They were both panting, and Clint nodded in approval, impressed with the display, but noticing that there were still some aspects that could be improved.

"Not bad kid, not bad at all. I'll get you guys a drink." She smiled at the praise, and watched as he strode to the other side of the room in search of some water.

"Who taught you how to fight like that?" Ashley's attention snapped back to Natasha, who was staring at her with curious eyes. Though the small amount of suspicion was also clear to see.

"A friend. I, uh, I lost him." Natasha nodded solemnly at the information, her mind going to those that she herself had lost. "It gets better, you know. Sure it takes some time, but it always gets better...if you let it."

The assassin watched the youngster walk away from her without so much as a glance back, as she approached Clint and accepted the bottle he held out for her.

She really didn't know what to make of her. She was liked and approved of by all of the team, even Pietro! She was the youngest, but she always gave out advice as if she had lived enough lifetimes to know how to deal with every possible situation. She had a ridiculous power, but never acted superior. She had a tonne of baggage, and a relatively unknown past. And she could read her…she always knew what to say.

From that one morning, Natasha knew that the younger woman could read her. She didn't know how, because only Clint could do such a thing, and she was just some kid that they had only just met. But she could, and that worried Nat. Did she have some weird sort of experience with assassins that made these things easier for her? Or was she just one of those people who relied on intuition? Either way, she didn't know how to feel about the fact that there was someone else out there who understood what she was dealing with on a daily basis. Above all else was a sense of relief that she wasn't alone, but caution was also present.

Before she could think anymore, the door swung open, and Ashley practically flew to the newcomer. The typical red jacket and dark head of hair that came with it, made her instantly recognisable.

"Wanda! What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?" The two youngsters shared a hug, and a grin when they noticed each other.

"I was only told I that could leave this morning. Pietro came to pick me up from the facility." Ashley nodded in understanding.

"Oh, so that's where he went…"

Wanda cocked her head at her friend's reply, and Ashley subtly changed the subject when she realised that she had spoken aloud.

"Nat and Clint are training me…no powers." She beamed at the two assassins, who offered small smiles in return, glad that their work was appreciated. Wanda nodded, before a devious smile formed on her face. None of the others in the room particularly liked it, knowing that it meant she had an idea.

"Will you fight with me?"

Ashley looked back to Clint and Nat for approval, and watched as they shared a hesitant look. They both knew Wanda was effective when it came to her powers, but she could hardly hold her own in a fist fight. So Clint decided to voice their concerns.

"Wanda…maybe we can practice some more before you get into any serious stuff."

Wanda shook her head at his misunderstanding, and literally waved away his concerns. "No, no…I mean will you fight me with your powers?"

All three pairs of eyes widened, not quite believing what she was asking. Clint wanted to scream out a 'No!' at her, but Ashley spared him from having to do so.

"Uh, Wanda I don't think that's a good idea…I mean, you've really put a leash on your powers, but mine can be…" She trailed off, not knowing the right word.

"Unpredictable, and dangerous…possibly lethal." Ashley shot another glare at Clint, but it was only half-hearted considering that he was genuinely trying to help dissuade Wanda from this decision.

Wanda's expression didn't change, and the hopeful look in her eyes never faded, not for a single second. She took Ashley's hands in her own, and Ashley's inwardly cursed the puppy dog eyes that she had adopted.

"I trust you."

She continued to stare at the Sokovian for a little while longer, hoping that she would perhaps think better of her decision. Eventually she sighed in defeat, knowing that it would never happen.

"Fine," She held her hand up sternly, in order to halt Wanda's victorious grin. "BUT. If something goes wrong…it's on you, Maximoff." She chuckled as Wanda beamed at her.

Natasha and Clint shared a nervous glance when the girls moved to opposite ends of the room. They themselves had opted to huddle near the doorway…just in case.

"Ok, what do you want me to do?" Wanda only took a moment to think about the question, before answering.

"I want to try and break through your energy. And then maybe I can try to block it?" Ashley contemplated her suggestion before nodding in approval. She wasn't too happy that she would have to tap into the unstable green, but what better way to learn control…right?

"Alright, gimme your best shot."

With that said, the two assassins watched as both girls took on their respective colours. The green surrounded Ashley like a web, as she closed her eyes peacefully. When she reopened them, the brown had been overcome and the shield seemed to glow darker due to its increased strength.

Wanda on the other hand, had been surrounded in her usual red wisps. Her eyes matching the colour, and a look of concentration that juxtaposed the relaxed look of Ashley's, on her face.

She wasted little time in hurling a bolt of the red wisps at the green shield, but they all watched as it was quickly and effortlessly absorbed by it. With another flourish of her hand, Wanda sent another strike her way, only to have it absorbed once again. The mounting frustration at her lack of strength led to a loud growl as she threw an even stronger bolt at the shield.

Ashley hadn't moved. She only stood and watched as the older woman hurled power at her, again and again. Never succeeding in penetrating, or even lessening, the barrier.

"What are you doing?!"

The accented and clearly agitated shout that echoed through the room, halted the younger twin's movements, and she quickly turned her attention to her elder brother.

Pietro had travelled up to his room as soon as he had returned with Wanda, just to make sure Ashley had indeed left his room. He really didn't want to have to explain  _that_  to his sister. Upon seeing that she wasn't there, he decided to return to his sister. What he hadn't expected was to walk into the training area to see his very annoyed sister attacking a very nonchalant Ashley, while Natasha and Clint watched on uncertainly. Why were they fighting? He was under the impression that they would be glad to see each other. He most certainly didn't think that  _Wanda_  of all people would be that mad at Ashley!

What really annoyed him, was when his sister merely shrugged in response before attacking her 'friend' once again. The red wisp was quickly absorbed, and she huffed in defeat.

"Ok, I can't…not yet. Can you try?"

He looked on in confusion at his sister's soft tone, and he was even more perplexed when Ashley gave a small nod before gathering some of the power into her closed fist.

Wanda braced herself for the attack, knowing that this would most likely hurt. If she couldn't penetrate the shield, then how on Earth would she be able to block it? Either way, she gathered as much of her power around her, getting ready to push the blast away as it approached her. Unfortunately for her, she could do no such thing when Ashley raised her arm, unclenching her fist in the process.

Pietro, Clint and Nat simply watched as the green blast cut through the red wisps like a knife through butter, and sent the younger Maximoff hurtling across the room. Pietro's mind kicked into gear and he was quickly there to try and break her fall. The two assassins, knowing that Pietro would give the two women an ear-full, took this moment to slip away and head up for some well needed lunch.

Wanda felt the sharp sting that came from contact, but she hadn't expected to land on a soft heap of…something. She dragged herself onto her knees and realised that she had landed on her extremely pissed off brother. His brows were clenched so tightly, she knew he would beat the stupid out of her if he could. What she was more worried about, was the safety of her friend. This was the second time that he had witnessed Ashley blast her across a room, and he would have killed her the first time, if she hadn't escaped them.

So she was incredibly surprised when he scowled up at her, and started berating her without so much as a glance at Ashley.

"Are you insane, Wanda? Do you know how much of a risk that was?" he patted off the non-existent dust on his shirt, scowl still in tact.

Wanda knew that he wouldn't be letting this go for a while. She was never the impulsive one, and he never needed to worry about her getting into difficult situations as a result of recklessness. But this situation would obviously put some doubt in his mind.

"It's ok Pietro, we were just practicing." Despite her calm words, he continued to stare down at her with disapproval. Practice or not, it was stupid to train against someone whose power wasn't completely stable, not to mention the fact that the power in question could wipe out the entire building…if not more! It also wasn't fair to Ashley. If she had accidentally seriously harmed Wanda, or anyone for that matter, she would have to live with the guilt that came with it just because his sister wanted to  _train_.

"I don't want you to ever do that again, do you understand?"

"Brother-"

_"Do you understand?"_  His tone left no room for argument, and the younger twin sighed in defeat, before nodding.

"Pietro, I'm sorry. That was my fault, I didn't mean to put so much power behind it." His attention was quickly drawn to the hand that was calmingly placed on his forearm, and the person it belonged to. He shook his head at Ashley's words.  _They don't understand._

"Ash, I don't blame either of you…I just don't want it to happen again, ok?" His words were loud and laced with annoyance at first, but his face softened when he realised that his irritated tone had caused the startled look on her own features. He didn't even realise he had used the nickname, but the twitch that Wanda's brow gave showed that she certainly had.

Recognising the pleading look in his blue eyes, Ashley hesitantly looked to Wanda's sore form once more before returning her gaze to Pietro and agreeing with him.

"No problem, it won't happen again." She noted the unconvinced look on his face, and was glad to see it drop when she added, "I promise."

He knew she wouldn't go back on her word, so he left it at that. Giving both women a final nod he shot out of the training area towards the top floor.

Ashley and Wanda watched as the blue blur disappeared from sight before turning towards each other. As soon as Ashley saw the smirk and cocked brow on Wanda's face, she knew something bad was about to happen.

"So,  _Ash_ …Why don't we go have something to eat, and you can tell me about everything that happened in these past few days."

_Ah crap._


	15. Chapter 15

"So…when did you and my brother become… _friends._ "

The two women had left the training area in favour of grabbing something to eat, so they now found themselves sitting on the barstools and enjoying a ham and cheese sandwich each.

Ashley had easily heard the suggestive tone that laced her last word, and rolled her eyes at Wanda's assumption, shaking her head as the younger twin chuckled.

"We started over after I woke up. I guess we both got sick of hating each other." They both laughed at the final statement, and Wanda gave the younger woman a knowing look.

"Yes, he seems to have really changed his opinion of you."

Ashley took a bite from her sandwich, and looked to Wanda in confusion. Although her words were true, there was some underlying meaning behind them and she didn't know what that could be. Finishing the bite that was in her mouth, she voiced her thoughts.

"What do you mean?" The Sokovian shrugged, tearing off another piece of the sandwich before replying.

"He just seems to trust you…and Pietro never trusts anyone other than me. We have been alone for so long." Wanda thought back to how easily her brother accepted the younger woman's promise that morning. She seemed to get lost in either thought or memory; Ashley couldn't tell. She then broke out into a small smile, eyelashes fluttering as she snapped out of the trance. "It is good to see has someone else in his life. He needs more than just me." The atmosphere suddenly felt too sombre for the younger Sokovian's liking. "So what do you do together? Talk? What do you talk about? what do you  _do_?" She didn't bother hiding her eagerness.

"Woah there, why the interrogation? It's not like I slept with him!" Wanda's face was blank, but it also looked anticipating as she cocked her brow as if to say: 'Did you?'

"Wanda!" Ashley sighed in exasperation, she was becoming more and more flustered as the talk continued. If there was one thing she didn't enjoy, it was attention in uncomfortable situations. And this was  _definitely_ uncomfortable for her. She hadn't been around many people before, so there was never a reason to gossip about the more  _intimate_ situations in life. She shook her head and snatched up Wanda's empty plate, before standing to do the dishes.

"So you didn't sleep together?"

"Of course not, Wanda!"  _At least, not in the way you're thinking…_ "Why are we even talking about this? This is your  _brother_  we're talking about." As if only just realising the truth in Ashley's words, Wanda cringed at the thought.

"You're right. I don't want to know what you do with him." The grimace made way for a teasing smirk, when Ashley shot her a glare at the implication.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something…" Ashley was grateful for the change of topic, and nodded in encouragement. "Will you be joining us when we leave tomorrow?" The younger woman adopted a look of confusion, prompting the Sokovian to continue. "We are going to the HYDRA base. It is more of a storage facility than a base, but they say it is still important."

Ashley had forgotten what Pietro had told her, but she was surprised to hear that Wanda would be joining the others this time. It's not that she doubted her friend, she just hadn't really seen her in action yet, and she had only seen her friendly side so far. Although they most likely wouldn't even need her for the 'mission', she decided that she didn't want to wait around while they risked their lives. Not knowing what was going on was the worst feeling, not to mention that she would never forgive herself if someone was hurt and she wasn't there to prevent it. It was a pretty close call with Pietro the first time.  _Don't need a repeat of that_.

"Yeah, I'll come with…I gotta get out of Tower anyway." She gave the younger twin a smile as she dried her hands, happy that they would be spending more time together. She never had someone to talk to that was roughly her age, or even from the same gender. Red was her friend, and she trusted him with her life, but he would have never been able to understand her entirely…when has any man ever understood a woman?

Then there was Gamora. Her sister was everything to her. A mother, a teacher, a protector… _everything_. But she was also much older than her, and because of that, they never had the same interests. Gamora had spent her entire life as a weapon for her father and even though this managed to strengthen their bond, it also meant that knives replaced dolls in her toy box.

But nevertheless, she would always love Gamora and value her above all. She was her  _only_  sister; her  _only_  family. Or at least, she was the  _only_  one that was allowed that title...

So yes, Wanda was completely different. Something that Ashley would guiltily admit she wished Gamora could have been if only for a single day. But she understood why that was never an option. At the end of the day, she was glad to have been able to have both of the women in her life at some point.

"Great! Well I have to go now, I told Pietro I would spend the day with him. We have a lot to talk about." She winked at Ash cheekily.

With that said, the younger Sokovian pulled herself up from her seat and made for the door, giving Ashley a final wave of goodbye in the process. Ashley didn't even have time to ask just what they would be talking about, even though she had a rough idea of what her friend wanted to discuss. But she wouldn't worry too much about it, there was  _no way_  Pietro would cave…he was far too stubborn for that.

She cast a final glance around the kitchen, before finally deciding what she would do with the rest of her day.

* * *

Steve was having a relatively quiet day, not including the classic music that was flowing from the expensive record player that Tony had bought him for his birthday the previous year.

The Tower itself was quiet, and he had yet to see anyone from the team. It was around 3 in the afternoon, and he had just finished his late lunch, after coming back from his run around Central Park. It was getting easier to hide himself from the general public during such moments. He wasn't really the smallest guy out there, so he would try to look as plain and average as possible, in order to keep from drawing even more attention to himself.

He wasn't in a particularly good mood. It's not that he was angry or anything, merely disappointed. Yesterday he and Sam had gone to Brooklyn. It had been over a year since Bucky saved his life, and there was still no sign of him. After Ultron was taken care of, Steve had cracked open the file Natasha had given him once again, and the search continued.

There wasn't a single trace of his childhood friend.

He hoped that Bucky was at least safe, but then again he could definitely take care of himself. He also hoped that his friend had opted out of HYDRA. At least that way he could possibly work on regaining everything they had stolen from him, and it would be a relief to know that he was no longer considered an 'enemy' to the Avengers.

Regardless of where Bucky was, Steve was hell bent on finding him. And he would, eventually.

"Sinatra…not a bad choice, Cap."

Steve's head spun around at the voice behind him, and he gave his friend a welcoming smile. "Yeah, his best stuff was released after the crash…but still it just, I don't know…" He sighed as his words trailed off.

"Reminds you of home?" Ashley supplied, when he seemed at a loss.

The super soldier gave her a sad smile as he nodded. He had been 'awake' for some time now, but it didn't make it any easier. Of course he knew finding Bucky could possibly improve that, but he wouldn't get his hopes up. The last time he saw his best friend was after he had taken the beating of his life...at his hands. Usually Bucky was the one to get him out of those, so he could only pray that the memories HYDRA had wiped could be salvaged, or he could be in for even worse.

"It's not easy being gone for so long, is it?"

"I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I mean, it's just different for me you know?" Ashley absentmindedly nodded, but inquired further.

"What's different? Besides the obvious…" she trailed off with a chuckle.

Steve rose from his seat and walked over to the large window that separated them from the balcony of the Tower, crossing his thick arms in the process. His eyes taking in the busy streets below and the 'obvious' changes Ashley had spoken of.

"Well don't take this the wrong way…but it's not too hard to take a plane to Vancouver and head home. For me, home is back in the 40s, and I'll never be able to go home again."

Now she understood. She couldn't blame him for making the assumption, but it shot a pang of guilt and sadness through her when she realised that she could never go home either. Guilt for not telling him, and sadness due to the truth behind his words. But she knew that in time, she wouldn't have to go 'home', it would come to her.

_Run sister…Promise me_ …

"That's the great thing about home, though…it's always where you begin, but rarely where you end. You don't need to go home, Cap. You're already there."

"You're going to have to explain to me one day…about how you always know exactly what to say." He huffed out a small but genuine laugh. Ashley wrapped an arm around his back, considering she couldn't reach his shoulders properly, and shot him a prideful grin that looked as if it could have been ripped off of Tony's face and plastered to her own.

"What can I say, Steve? I'm just  _that_  good." Her tone made it obvious that she was only joking with him, and hadn't  _also_  taken Stark's arrogance. Nevertheless he was grateful for the fact that she was attempting to lighten the mood, as she so often did, and gave her left shoulder a gentle squeeze when he rested his own arm across her shoulders.

They stayed like that for a little while, both still thinking about their respective homes, until the sound of the fridge door loudly closing startled them apart. They turned to find a blank faced Pietro sipping a glass of orange juice while leaning back against the offending door.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Steve raised a brow at the young Sokovian. It wasn't the words that caught his attention, it was the subtle hostility in his tone that Ashley seemed to not notice, if the oblivious smile on her face was anything to go by. Not quite knowing what caused his anger, Steve decided to play it safe. Pietro was definitely  _not_  sorry...

"Oh it's no problem, we were just reminiscing." The friendly smile evaporated from Steve's face when Pietro continued to stare at him blankly, and gave a small hum in response. He wasn't scared of Pietro, he had stood up to men bigger than himself for most of his life - well, when he was conscious. But there was a barely there threat in the Sokovian's blank stare that wasn't sitting well with Steve, and he had no idea what had cause it. He was grateful when Ashley decided to speak up, relieved to have the younger man's unreadable eyes off of him for a moment.

"I thought Wanda was spending the day with you…"

Pietro's appearance had taken her by surprise, she was sure that she wouldn't be seeing him until they left for the HYDRA base tomorrow. But she was  _pleasantly_  surprised to see him, and gave him a small smile…which he didn't even try to return.

"She is on the phone, I only came up for a drink." He raised his glass condescendingly, and Ashley didn't fight the small frown that tugged at her lips when he didn't even bother saying goodbye, and left in a flash of blue and silver.

She looked to the super soldier beside her and they both shrugged after sharing a confused look. There was no telling what was going through Pietro's head, but they would both agree to not wanting to be the person that pissed him off.

* * *

Pietro was glad to have his sister back. They were never apart during their childhood, and even as they grew up into the adults they had now become. So yes, it was good to have her back.

Until she started interrogating him.

It was all going so well, just casually chatting about whatever came to mind and all that had happened while they were apart. And then she just had to ask about Ashley.

_"So are you going to tell me what is going on between you?" He had responded by tearing his eyes from the TV and looking at her nonchalantly, cocking a brow at her barely hidden eagerness._

_"We have decided to be friends." His short reply did nothing to sooth her curiosity, and she let a small frown tug at her lips. Pietro had always told her about girls he was interested in, he didn't really have anyone else to tell but her. So she didn't know why he was being so tight-lipped about Ashley. He did like her didn't he? There was a tension between them that could be felt a mile away. Not to mention his behaviour after the HYDRA incident. She decided to voice her thoughts with a teasing smirk in place, which he couldn't see because his back was turned to her once again._

_"You must be very good friends then…"_

_Pietro knew that she was baiting him, but he also knew the easiest way to get her to drop the topic was to just let it play out. So he took the bait._

_"And why is that?" he asked with an exasperated sigh._

_"Well, from what I have heard from the others…no one else visited her **all**  night while she was at the hospital."_

_Pietro rounded on her immediately, but she didn't even flinch, she just raised her brows innocently as he narrowed his eyes at her._

_"Stay out of my head, Wanda." His stern tone surprised her, but it wasn't enough to deflect the conversation._

_"How do you know I was in your head?"_

_He hesitated for a moment, chewing the side of his cheek lightly before turning around to face away from her again, trying to distract himself with whatever crappy show was currently playing on the giant TV Tony had placed in his room._

_"No one else knows."_

_Again, she wasn't surprised. It was obvious that no one knew after the puzzled expressions they all wore when she had asked them if they had stayed at the hospital overnight at all. She smiled softly when she realised what that meant._

_"I did not tell anyone, brother…" She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and he barely glanced at her, still annoyed that she invaded his privacy. "Do…do you care for her?" The question was asked hesitantly, as if she was afraid of how he would react to it._

_Pietro just closed his eyes and released a deep breath. This was not how he had wanted the afternoon to go. Yes, he did care for her, but he knew that Wanda would try to help him if he told her. Then again, she already knew…so why not just admit it?_

_"Yes."_

_**Yes?**  She didn't think he would admit it so soon, especially considering that he was clearly trying to deny that they had anything but friendship moments ago. _

_"D-does she know?" she stammered, still surprised at what he had told her. Pietro rolled his eyes at her behaviour._

_"Of course not, and I want to keep it that way." He finally gave her his full attention when he looked at her pointedly. She merely bobbed her head up and down in response. But that wasn't good enough for him._

_"No, swear it, sister. Promise me you won't say anything." Wanda gave him a dumbfounded look. "I don't want you to try anything. She can't know, she can't even be suspicious…understand?" He tried not to fidget nervously at the thought of how easily Wanda could slip up._

_"I promise, brother."_

_After a moment of just staring at each other in contemplation, they shared a genuine smile._

_It would all be fine. He had nothing to worry about._

Just thinking about the conversation would have been enough to bring a smile to his face. Had he not just witnessed what would surely drag his mood to hell for the rest of the day.

They had looked so casual together. Comfortable. Picture  _perfect_.

And he hated it.

Sure, he liked Steve. He was a good guy and he was also the first Avenger that he and his sister fought alongside. The super soldier had a heart of gold, and he was without a doubt the only one in the team that had  _relatively_  clean hands when it came to the situations that they had been involved in.

But no matter how childish it was, he couldn't help the spark of jealousy that swelled within him when he saw them so snug together.

What was really gnawing at his mind was  _why?_ Why were they so close? Was there more between them than he had thought? Was Ashley interested in the soldier? And if so,  _why?_  Sure, he was great and whatnot, but come on… _Steve?_  The guy was old enough to be her  _great_ -grandfather! Not to mention there was no spark between them. No sarcastic comments, no tension… _nothing_.

Well, he hoped there was nothing. After finally passing the friendship marker, the last thing he needed was Steve getting in the way. It irked him even more knowing that man who apparently had her attention wasn't even at the hospital half as much as he was. That was where it really began.

Like he had previously admitted to himself, he had been physically attracted to her from the beginning…but it was those nights at the hospital where he could really  _see_  her. Where he could see that despite the power flowing through her, she wasn't invincible. She could be hurt, and she  _was_  hurt. She was laid down on the hospital bed completely vulnerable, yet never safer.

At first he felt guilty, and thats why he chose to visit her - as if his presence was an apology of some sort. But the second day he had spent at the hospital was due to the foul mood Stark had put him in. The billionaire was naturally worried for her, so it made it impossible to be in his presence without wanting to strangle him for his incessant fretting.

So that night was just a reprieve from the panic and worry that had found its way into the Tower. After that he started visiting whenever he needed some peace, or if he had nothing else to do. When he became  _really_  bored, he would talk to her. He wasn't aware that she could possibly hear everything he was saying at the time, but he was relieved to know that what he had told her was definitely not acknowledged. It wasn't like he had shared his deepest and darkest secrets, in fact he had mainly complained about the rest of the team when he spoke. But he still didn't want her to have to unwillingly sit through his rants.

It was nice to be able to sit in the quiet for a while, and he often found his eyes drawn to the unconscious woman in the hospital bed. It wasn't intentional, nor was it the creepy kind of staring…more of an admiration of what his initial dislike had covered.

And of course, that led to more visits at all hours of the day. As long as he kept it from the team, he had nothing to worry about. Lord knows, Tony would  _never_  let him live it down. He rolled his eyes at the thought, before gritting his teeth when he remembered what had caused the sudden resurfacing of the memory.

Well even if he didn't before...he definitely had something to worry about  _now._

* * *

_"Gamora?"_

_The woman in question looked up from the map she was studying and focused her gaze to the eleven-year-old that sat on the floor in front of her. She had been scouring through maps and schematics for hours, trying to figure out how to perform the task her 'father' had assigned her. Her younger sister had entered the room little over an hour ago, and opted to sit on the floor rather than in one of the chairs beside her sister._

_"Yes?" She watched as the girl tore her eyes from the weapons that lined the wall, and looked to her instead. The serious expression on her face was enough to show Gamora that her next question would most likely be a serious one._

_"Will…will you take me to see my home one day? Will you take me to Xandar?"_

_Gamora tensed at the question, watching the young girl fidget uncomfortably as her brown eyes dropped to the floor uneasily. The older woman didn't show it, but she too was uncomfortable. How could she explain to her that she would most likely never see Xandar again? **Even if she did, it would probably be in ruins**. She chewed the side of her cheek as she contemplated what to say._

_"This is your home now. You don't need to see Xandar." She tried to adopt a friendlier tone so that the words wouldn't sound harsh, but it seemed as if the youngster didn't care for the tone at all. Regardless, Gamora had to put an end to such desires. If Thanos ever found out about the girl's want to return to her homeland, he would make sure she never thought such things again…and she almost shuddered at the thought of just **how**  he would discipline her._

_"But-"_

_"No sister." She snapped harshly. "You are no longer a Xandarian orphan. You are Azlure…the youngest daughter of Thanos, and you will **not**  say otherwise." The stern look on her sister's face made Az drop her head dejectedly, as the hope left her eyes and mind._

_Gamora sighed and dropped the map onto the table, after noticing how disheartened the youngster was. She didn't mean to snap at her so sharply, but it was for her sister's own safety. Nevertheless, she really couldn't deal with an upset younger sibling, and noiselessly moved to sit on the floor beside the girl - who still refused to raise her head._

_"I'm sorry, Az. But I'm only trying to keep you safe. One day…you'll see your home." The girls head shot up hopefully at her sister's words, and Gamora gave her a carefully disguised sad smile while she ran her green hand over the soft brown strands of Azlure's head. She would honestly do anything to keep her safe, and she would definitely make sure that she never mentioned this conversation to **anyone else.**_

_"With you?"_

_Gamora felt the guilt creep into her as she easily lied to the girl._

_"With me."_


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Just want to say thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story :) This chapter is the longest one yet, so I'm sorry if long chapters annoy people! Thanks again, see ya soon!

When she woke up that morning, the last thing Ashley expected to find laying on her bedside table was a large white box with an extravagantly tied green ribbon secured around it. It's not that she didn't like gifts, she did, there was just no occasion for her to receive them in the past. Nevertheless, she had tiredly fumbled across the comfortable mattress and snatched up the folded piece of paper that was placed on top of the present.

_Welcome to team…_

She hadn't recognised the writing, but then again, she had never even seen anyone in the team write before. Despite that, she knew the gift could only really be from one member.

Tony.

A slight smile spread across her curious features and she reached for the box itself. The ribbon looked too good to untie, the type of perfection no one would want to destroy, but her curiosity won out. After lifting the lid she slowly tore the tissue paper out of the way, trying to be as careful as possible just in case the contents were fragile. She held back an awed 'woah' when she noticed just what the box was holding.

She quickly leapt of the bed, dragging the box to the edge before lifting the dark material out of it. It was a bodysuit. Similar to the one she had seen Natasha wear, but tailored to her own size and obviously made to her own standards - Tony knew that she preferred comfort, and the skin tight uniform that Natasha wore looked anything  _but_  comfortable. So she was happy to see the material had some leeway in that department.

The material was thick across the chest and torso, while the arms and legs were much thinner.  _Protecting the vital organs_ , she assumed. Although it looked to be black in colour from a distance, upon closer inspection the material was heavily layered by an overlapping mesh-like material, with the bottom layer giving it a greenish tinge. She could barely discern the small metallic ring hidden beneath the material that covered the chest, but she was instantly reminded of the first time she had visited Tony's lab. She had helped him make it. As she ran her fingers across the fabric she noted that although the material itself was tough, it also had a softness to it that she hadn't expected.

Looking back into the box, she noticed what appeared to be two holsters that were to be strapped to her thighs. But she was happy to see that they were in fact sheathed knives. She smile, and couldn't help but wonder who had gotten them for her…she was sure that Tony was unaware of her preference for knives.

A small beeping noise snapped her from those thoughts, and had her gaze focusing on the alarm clock that now read 6:00am. The team would be departing in close to an hour, so she heaved herself of the bed and decided to try on her new outfit.

It fit like a glove, but as she had suspected, it wasn't nearly as tight or constricting as Natasha's seemed to be. The dark material matched her equally dark features and she couldn't help but self-consciously wander over to the mirror. She looked pretty good…if you completely ignored the untidy nest of hair and half-asleep face -which is exactly what she did.

She gave her reflection a small smile, but a sudden urge overcame her and she gave into it. The surprised look on her face when her eyes were overcome by green was comical, but the eyes were definitely not what had surprised her. She watched in amazement as the barely visible green layer in her suit rapidly adopted the same hue, starting from the metallic ring and descending to the tip of each limb. It receded just as quickly when her eyes fluttered to a close, reigning in the power.

It truly was more than she had ever expected, and she wouldn't know how to thank the billionaire when she saw him next. But, that gave her something to think about while she quickly performed her morning routine in the bathroom.

* * *

Pietro had been awake since 5 o'clock that morning, and the foul mood that he had developed the previous day had somewhat receded. His thoughts didn't distract him enough to not notice a familiar face entering the kitchen as he blankly stared down into the bowl of cereal he had made himself. He wouldn't look up. He was still mad at her, even if she didn't know it.

"Morning sunshine, what did that bowl ever do to you?" He ignored the humour in her tone, instead opting to scoop a spoonful into his mouth to keep from saying something he would later regret.

The Sokovian's behaviour had puzzled Ashley. He was in a strange mood the last time she saw him too, but it was disheartening to see, they only recently became friends but he was acting the same way as the first time he had met her. She was a fairly patient person, but…actually, no. She really wasn't.

"Ok, spill. What's going on with you."

His head snapped up with a blur, and he paused for what felt like a second to any normal person -but he wasn't really normal, was he? His eyes took in the form fitting black suit that she was wearing. It was snug in all the right places, and her pale skin was a perfect contrast to the material. Dark hair was pulled tight into a high ponytail, and the furrow of her brows and crossed arms in front of her chest showed that she wasn't happy with his clear dismissal of her. He didn't really care though.

"There is nothing going on with me."

She recognised yet another dismissal, and she couldn't deny that he was really starting to annoy her. She rolled her eyes at the display, as his gaze fell back to the empty bowl in front of him.

"Pietro, you're being childish." Her tone had lost most of it's strength, almost pleading in nature. She just wanted to know how to fix the situation, but he either didn't notice or he didn't care.

"Yes, I'm sure you'd prefer it if I was 70 years older." He mumbled under his breath. Getting up from his stool and walking around to the dishwasher, where he would dispose of the bowl and spoon.

"What?" She could barely hear his response before he barged past her to the dishwasher, but she trailed after him as he went.

Pietro huffed out an irritated sigh, he didn't want her to follow him, not while he was still in this mood. So he turned around and quickly flashed her the most fake smile she had seen to date, they both knew it.

"Nothing. I'd love to stay and chat some more, but we have a flight in-" his eyes flicked to the clock on the far wall,"20 minutes, and I need to find my sister." With that said, he didn't even glance at her before he shot off. The only sign that he was ever in the room being the blue trail that he temporarily left behind him.

* * *

"You're sure that they all know we're leaving in ten minutes, right?"

Tony rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"For the hundredth time, Cap, yes…I'm sure."

It was nearing departure time and Steve was slightly worried as no one had arrived yet, besides Tony that is. He didn't have to worry for long though, as the doors leading to the roof slid open and Clint and Natasha approached the aircraft that Tony was now inspecting. The archer had the usually bow and his dark quiver strapped to his back, they had already been informed that the facility was in Greece so sleeves weren't necessary this time 'round. Natasha wore her trademark bodysuit, identical to the one she had donned against Ultron's forces.

"Morning old timers."

The comment earned Clint a narrow eyed glare from the billionaire and half smile from Steve as he shook his head in good humour. Steve looked younger than him, and he wasn't that far off of Tony's age.

"Where's the rest of the team?" Clint enquired, he and Natasha had both noticed the lack of members as soon as they had stepped through the doors. It was the billionaire that answered him, still keeping his eyes on the wing that he was tinkering with.

"They'll be here soon. Don't worry Katniss, you won't have to do  _all_  the leg work." Clint snorted in amusement, choosing to ignore the unwanted nickname.

"So what's the headcount?" This time it was Natasha who spoke, her eyes flicking over to the super soldier. He was, after all, their unofficial team leader.

"The twins are in, Thor is out. The last time I heard from him, he seemed pretty distressed…kept saying that he had to see Heimdall." The two assassins shared a blank look that only they could translate, neither of them liking the fact that the god was troubled. If he had a problem, then they  _all_  had a problem. But right now they had bigger things to worry about.

"What about Ashley?" Tony grinned smugly at Clint's question, glad that things had gone his way in that regard. Natasha just rolled her eyes, but she knew that it provided a much appreciated advantage, and she definitely wouldn't be one to protest against having all the help that they could get.

"Consuela is locked, loaded and ready to go."

Steve wasn't too happy to hear that. Sure, he and Ashley were friends, but that's exactly why he worried for her safety. Hadn't she only just gotten out of the hospital because of the last mess of theirs that she had cleaned up?

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Tony? I mean, don't get me wrong…but should she really be heading out there right now?" He crossed his bulky arms over his star-spangled chest somewhat defensively, not knowing how the billionaire would take his objection. Tony just smirked as his eyes trailed behind the super soldier.

"I don't know, Cap…Why don't you ask her yourself?" he replied, imitating Steve's stance.

Just as Steve turned to see what he was looking at, the doors slid open once more and the four elders came face to face with two of their newest additions. The two girls walked together, Ashley waving her hands around animatedly, while Wanda laughed at the scene she was describing. Tony and Steve jumped when they noticed Pietro had somehow made it to stand amongst them unnoticed, while Clint and Natasha's reflexes and senses hardly even allowed them to flinch.

Three sets of brows shot up when they took in the new and impressive suit that Tony had clearly made for the girl. Clint and Steve grinned at how official her uniform made her look. She was a member of the team now. Even Natasha let a small smirk play on her lips, she gave the younger woman a small nod of something between approval and greeting when their eyes met.

Ashley's face split into a toothy grin as she approached the rest of the team, she held her arms out and slowly spun around in a small circle to show off her new outfit. Tony smiled smugly, while Steve and Clint chuckled at the action, taking in the impressive bodysuit.

"What do you think? Should I hit up all the runways?"

"Oh, I don't know…it's a little revealing."

If anyone was surprised to see Nat joking, they did well to hide it. The redhead released a small laugh when the younger woman lightly shoved her shoulder. Meanwhile, Wanda joined her brother, standing at the back of the group.

She was aware that he wasn't too happy at the moment. He had been short with her ever since he had returned from the kitchen the previous day, and when she asked him about it he had told her to 'leave it alone'. So being the good sister that she was, she wormed her way into his head and found out on her own. He wasn't too happy about that. Not at all.

So now she stood beside him, her eyes flicking from his blank face to Ashley's as he stared at the proceedings with his arms crossed. She almost smirked at the tightening of his jaw when Steve decided to speak up.

"It looks great, Ash. But are you sure-"

He was cut off by a half-hearted glare, as she raised her hand to stop him. "Firstly, thank you. Secondly, yes I am sure…I'm fine and there's no way I'm going to let you guys have all the fun without me."

Tony beamed at her, before lazily throwing an arm around her shoulder and leading her towards the entrance of the aircraft. "See, what'd I tell ya, Cap? She's fine."

Steve rolled his eyes, even though the billionaire couldn't see him, but he trailed after them into the aircraft anyway. Clint and Natasha followed, speaking in hushed voices after sufficiently distancing themselves from the rest of the team. This left only the Maximoff twins.

The younger of the two looked to her brother with an irritated look on her face.

"You cannot avoid her and then get mad when she talks to others. If you are not careful, brother, they will notice your mood…and you know the assassins will read you like a book." With that said, she marched off into the jet.

Pietro scoffed at the display. He knew she was right, and in all honesty he didn't like being so distant from the group. But he was still mad and he didn't want to let it go so quickly. Though as his sister had pointed out, he didn't really have a choice in the matter…so he would attempt to remain at least civil during the trip. He shook his head at the thought. He was treating Ash like crap and she didn't even know why. How could she? He hadn't told her, and yet he seemed to expect too much of her - like he had some sort of claim on her. Then he had to remind himself that he didn't, and even though he knew more about her past than anyone else -except maybe his sister- he had no right to treat her like she had personally insulted him.

He didn't like thinking about it, so he shot out in a cloud of blue and into the aircraft before Stark sealed the door.

* * *

They had been in the air for over 8 hours, and Ashley had spent the majority of the trip catching up on some sleep. Say what you will, but waking up before 9am shouldn't have been legal. She still had no idea where they were even going, and she doubted anyone but Tony did.

"Hey Tony," The man in question looked up from the hologram that sat in the centre of the table in front of him. "I just wanted to say thanks. Not just for the suit, but for everything you've done for me since we've met. And before." She added on with a small chuckle, remembering that he was indeed the one to locate the HYDRA base she was being kept in.

The genius played it down, shrugging a shoulder in reply. "No problem, kid." He went to turn back to the hologram of the base, but stopped when he felt a hand wrapped around his arm. He cocked a brow after feeling the goosebumps spread across his skin, her energy seeping into the surface. She mumbled a quick 'sorry', before dropping her arm now that she had his attention once more.

"I mean it, Tony. You've done a lot for me…more than you'll ever know. I just need you to know that I really appreciate it."

He eyed the soft expression on her face skeptically, not quite knowing how to take the obvious gratitude. Most people didn't really  _thank_  him. He had the money and they knew it. It's not like they were troubling him, so why thank him for something that wouldn't even bother him -that didn't even make a  _dent_  in his bank account?

"Are you ok? you're not dying are you?" He quickly put a palm to her forehead, "Oh god, you're burning up!" he said with faux panic. She hastily swatted away the offending hand with an eye roll, and tried to keep the smile off her face when he grinned impishly at her.

"Ha-ha. Why do I even bother?" She heard him laugh victoriously as she walked away from him.

"Oh come on, you love me!" She waved her hand over her shoulder dismissively, before finally leaving the area.

She stopped for a moment, pondering what to do to waste time. Natasha and Clint were flying the aircraft -as usual. Steve was most likely finalising any plans with them, and the twins were sitting together on the other side of the jet, not 15 feet away from her. Although she was aware that the elder of the two had been in a strange mood the entire morning, they were her best bet in terms of entertainment.

She suddenly grew cold, and her breathing laboured. At first she merely thought it was some kind of delayed anxiety in regards to flying, but the low whistle in her head that slowly grew into a deafeningly high pitched screech proved that theory wrong. Her panic only grew when she noticed her vision pulsing in burst of green, as her eyes rapidly flickered from brown to green like an unsteady heartbeat. Looking at her green hands for confirmation, she tried with all her might to contain the power that had been accessed without her consent as her gaze frantically darted around the stained green room.

She gripped her head tight, nails digging into her skull, eyes clamped shut forcefully as the flashes of memory and voices pounded against her skull. Her jaw was equally clenched, a low groan that ended in a pained growl refused to be released, but she felt it all the same as she dropped to her knees. What was happening?

_Soon…_

The harsh voice growled in her mind.

_Run…sister._

_Run._

_**RUN!** _

This time the she couldn't contain the ache, and Pietro was by her side in less then a second when he heard her cry out in pain.

"Whoa, what the hell is going on back there?!"

Tony thought the output reader was malfunctioning when the warning hologram appeared, signalling a spike in the girl's power. He thought little of it until he heard her pained shout. If she was in pain, then she wasn't in control. If she wasn't in control, they were all in danger. He made a quick dash towards the other room.

Ashley's eyes had snapped open at Tony's voice, the power and pain receding as they did so. She didn't know how she had somehow managed to refrain from entirely losing control in that situation, but it didn't matter. Her heavy intakes were the only sound that could be heard for a moment, then she allowed herself to take in her surroundings, which she was glad to see were their normal colour once more.

Wanda stood about a two metres in front of her, a worried expression consuming her features. Her eyes then trailed to the person kneeling in front of her that she was clinging to. Pietro wore a similar look to his sister's. When he had approached her, she was gasping in pain with agony twisting her face into a look he had never seen on her before. He had placed his hands over her own, which were gripping her head dangerously. He didn't want her hurting herself even more, so he pried them away and had let her crush his forearms in a bruising grip instead. Not that he really cared at the time.

He had been calling out for her, calling her name in the hopes that she would snap out of whatever was happening to her. Never had he been more grateful to hear Stark's voice, than he was in that moment.

Noticing just how hard she had clenched Pietro's arms she hastily released them as if they had burnt her. She looked up to him apologetically with moist eyes, but he just gave her a small unconvincing smile in return.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Ash!"

Her head whipped around when she saw Tony run through the doorway. He paused to take in the scene before him, but he couldn't deduce anything from it -besides the obvious.

"Are we ok?" He asked cautiously. Ashley hesitated for a split second, but quickly answered in order to avoid worrying them further.

"Yeah, yeah we're good. I'm an uneasy flyer, and sometimes when I panic…my power gets protective." she lied.

All three of her friends looked at her doubtfully, not quite knowing whether to believe that explanation or not. Luckily for her, they wouldn't get the chance to question the validity of her reasoning.

"Hey, we're almost there. Clint and Nat have put autopilot on, we're going to go through the game plan now…" Steve trailed off when he noticed that he had walked in on something. "Uh…is everything alright?" he asked unsurely.

Ashley used Pietro's shoulders to push up onto her feet, giving the Captain a smile while barely concealing her own worry. "Yeah, everything's fine Cap. Let's get to it then, the sooner we're on the ground, the better."

Steve hesitantly nodded in response, then turned on his heel to lead them back to the room Tony had previously been in. Wanda and Tony slowly followed him out, both casting glances at their youngest member on their way. Ashley gave silent sigh in relief now that the subject would be dropped.

"Don't think that we are done talking about this."

_Or not._

His proximity to her ear had sent a shiver down her spine and she thank the gods, Norse or not, that he hadn't noticed it. A small frown tugged at her lips when the words registered. She really didn't want to talk about it…hell, she didn't even know what it meant! Instead of arguing with him, she merely gave him a small nod, and made for the door with him hot on her heels.

* * *

"How far out are we, Clint?"

"About a half hour before we start the descent, Cap." replied the archer.

The group had gathered around the hologram table and were preparing for the task ahead.

"And where exactly are we?" The elder Sokovian asked.

Tony smirked in response. He honestly couldn't believe it when he locate the co-ordinates of the base. The situation had given him hope in HYDRA after all. Not much. But he could appreciate their humour. "The co-ordinates are: 37°21′N 23°28′E."

Pietro sighed in exasperation. Why couldn't he just give him a straight answer? He was such a frustrating person to deal with. "And what is located at those co-ordinates, Stark?"

Although Pietro was the one to ask, everyone was curious of the answer. Even Nat and Clint, sure they were the ones to fly the aircraft, but they followed the directions and not the names. All they knew was that they were definitely in Greece.

"I'm glad you asked, Sonic." Tony wave a hand above the table, and they watched as what appeared to be an island projected into a 3-D model for the group to see. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is the lovely little island known as…wait for because this is the real kicker..."

"Stark!" the shout was echoed after being shouted simultaneously by all members of the team.

"Hydra."

He grinned at the blank faces that looked back at him.

"Wait, what?" Ashley was the one to voice the thought on everyone's mind.

"Well technically it's pronounced differently in Greek, but it is otherwise known as Hydra." Clint snorted at Tony's words.

"You're kidding? I can't tell if that's ingenious or completely stupid." Clint's respond drew a laugh from Ashley, and the team shared a moment of humour to appreciate how silly the situation was.

"Ok, seriously though, how are we going to do this? What are we even looking for?" Ashley pretended not to notice the look that the two assassin's shared after she asked. It was Natasha that answered, much to Ashley's surprise…she assumed that Steve would be the one leading this mission.

"We're looking for files. This is HYDRA's main database, all their secrets are being kept in this facility." Pietro cocked a brow at her response, he had the feeling that something was being kept from them. He understood that destroying HYDRA would be much easier with the information they would be retrieving, but why now? What were they  _really_  looking for? And  _why_ were they looking for it? It was obvious that this was an assignment organised outside of the team…and if Natasha was leading it, he knew _exactly_  where the order had come from. That thought didn't sit well with him.

"Ok, so how exactly are we going to get all of these 'secrets'. I mean, their facilities aren't exactly small…and I'm betting that there's more than just your average password safe PC in there." Tony snorted in amusement, he could tell that the lack of information in regards to their objective was really starting to bother their youngest member. In truth, it bothered him too, Ashley wasn't the only one out of the loop…in fact, everyone but Clint and Natasha -maybe even the Cap- were out of it.

"That is what these babies are for." Tony held up a few USBs, each one painted blue with 'Stark' clearly written on the side. "They'll take care of any technological issues, all you guys have to do is slide one into a USB port, sit back and relax, while I work my magic."

Steve nodded at his instructions, he was relieved he wouldn't have to do too much in the tech department. Even though he had greatly improved with modern technology over the years, sometimes it still overwhelmed him.

"Alright, Tony, so how do we find these 'ports'?" The billionaire raised another hologram for the Captain, this time it was the facility itself.

"The facility, like all of the others we've come across, is underground. The scans show 4 rooms on opposite sides of the facility, this is where the ports will be." He pressed a button on the see-through tablet in his hand, and each room was highlighted in a red colour, two on the south side of the facility, and two on the north side. With that said he looked up and scanned the faces of each group member. "So, who wants to volunteer?" He held up the USB drives, with a mocking smile.

Natasha was quick to volunteer, holding her hand out to accept the USB. Before anyone else could do the same, Steve decided to speak up.

"I'll take one, and I think Pietro and Ashley should take the other two. Clint will be going in with Nat as backup, and Wanda will be coming with me. Ash and Pietro are fast, they'll take the further two on the south side. Wanda and I will take one on the north side, Nat and Clint can have the closest one to the exit." The younger Sokovian's brows shot up at that revelation. She was surprised to be separated from her brother, but then again he was too fast to keep up with anyway. So she merely nodded in acceptance. Tony handed each of them a USB, which they all slipped into a secure pocket.

"This place will probably be crawling with HYDRA agents. It will be difficult to go undetected, as soon as they notice us we're going to have to move quickly. Our priority is retrieving the files." Ashley frowned at the emphasis she put on their 'priority', she really didn't like the secrecy behind his task, but she listened as the redhead assassin continued. "If any one gets in the way of that, take them out."

Wanda was slightly unsettled by Natasha's orders. She knew HYDRA were the 'enemy' but she still didn't feel too good about killing someone for a reason that she hadn't even been given yet. Pietro was thinking along the same lines, and his brows furrowed in thought. He hadn't signed up for this. This wasn't a mission for the Avengers, this was a S.H.I.E.L.D mission that required the skill of the Avengers. The Avengers didn't keep secrets from each other, they were a team and teams couldn't function if there was a veil of secrets blinding them. Fury was taking advantage of them in order to get what he wanted, and the assassins would remain loyal to their former director-even if he had 'retired'.

"Other than that, we're in then out. We meet back at the landing location, make sure we don't get any runaways, Stark." The man in question mockingly raised his hand in a salute.

"Aye aye, Captain." Steve suppressed an eye-roll at Tony's reply. "Oh and before I forget," Tony reached for one of the tables behind him, and held up six metal bands. "These go on your wrist, they'll show you where to go." They accepted the devices with murmurs of thanks, and separated to prepare for landing. Before Ashley could follow after the twins, she felt a hand tug her shirt back. Her brows furrowed as she turned to face Tony.

"I don't know what happened back there, and I won't hassle you about it. I just want to know if you lost control." His expression looked slightly hopeful, but she couldn't understand why. Either way, she was glad he wasn't going to bother her about it too much.

"I…I did." She replied hesitantly.

He beamed at her proudly, to which she curiously cocked a brow.

"You remember the first day you came into my lab-"

"When I helped out with the synthesis?" she interrupted. He nodded in answer.

"Yeah. That ring you helped make is what allows your suit to regulate power. Usually with your energy spikes, the power rolls off you like crazy, the ring is made from vibranium and weaved it into the suit to reduce emissions." Ashley stared at him in amazement, not quite knowing what to say. Was that why she didn't lash out during her… _episode?_

Tony just shrugged nonchalantly. "I remember you saying that HYDRA used it for protection, it didn't stop it entirely but it kinda kept it on a leash. So I figured it would make sense."

"That's…well, it's pretty incredible. I don't think I would have been able to hold it back." He didn't miss the awe that was still in her voice, and he did all he could not to smirk.

"It's a lot stronger than anything else you would have come across, so even if a bullet does manage to make it past you, it won't even leave a dent…" he trailed of with a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, unless it's a headshot." She laughed when she recognised the humoured tone he had taken.

"Well gee, thanks Scrooge. You be careful out there, boss." She gave him a pat on the shoulder before heading back to prepare for landing. She chuckled when she heard his shouted reply.

"It's Mr. McDuck, dammit!"

* * *

The landing seemed to go completely unnoticed, then again there weren't many people out and about at midnight on a small Greek island.

"Alright, remember: in and out, and try not to attract attention. Be careful." The last two words Steve had said while looking at Ashley pointedly. She was the only one that was hurt during their last outing. Nevertheless, the group nodded in understanding before splitting up. Unfortunately, Pietro and Ashley would have to hike to the other side of the rocky hillside in order to reach the ventilation duct that they were going to enter through.

Ashley began the trek, only to abruptly stop when she noticed Pietro hadn't moved. He stood staring at her with a contemplative look on his handsome features. She adjusted the small backpack on her shoulder nervously.

"What's wrong?"

His expression slowly turned into one of determination, and she wasn't too sure that she liked that. _What's he doing?_  He slowly approached her, trying his best to not alert her to what he was about to do.

"Make sure you lean your head on my shoulder." He kept advancing towards her, only a few metres away. She felt her nerves jump as she watched him stride over determinedly, confusion clouding her mind.

"Pietro, what are you doing?" She took a small step back when she saw the cocky smirk make its way onto his lip.

"Don't be mad."

She didn't even have time to blink before her feet left the ground and her hair was whipping across her face. She remembered his words and rested her head against his freakishly warm shoulder. Before she knew it, they had come to a halt, but the arms that had been wrapped under her knees and between her backpack and shoulders still held onto her.

She looked up at him curiously, and her breath almost hitched when she realised he was already looking at her with an unknown emotion masking his features. He quickly snapped out of his strange trance and cleared his throat slightly, before gently planting her feet back onto the ground. She gave him a quiet 'thank you' in response.

Pietro mentally berated himself. He had stared at her like a complete idiot for a moment there, and she had noticed. He shook his head at his own actions, sure she was nice to look at, it didn't mean he should stare at her like some creep. He  _had_  to get his act together.

"You coming, hot stuff?"

Then she had to say things like that. He was impulsive enough as it is, he didn't need her adding more fuel to the fire. He clenched his fists by his sides as she removed the grate and began crawling inside it. The gods were obviously hellbent on screwing with him today. What in the world had made him allow her to go first. Now he would have to keep his eyes glued to the vent beneath him rather than straight ahead, though a couple of glances couldn't hurt…right?

Ashley really didn't like the situation they were in. Being trapped in a small metal box for 20 minutes, while they crawled towards their target was not something she particularly enjoyed. So she was definitely relieved when the tracker on the holographic watch Tony had given her, signalled that they had reached their destination.

She looked through the grate, remaining as still as a stature when she noticed the guards making their way down the hallway. She couldn't see them yet, but the energy was easy to discern. She slowly turned her head to look at the Sokovian behind her, holding up two fingers when he met her eyes. He nodded in understanding, and they waited. Ashley looked back through the grate and noted that the door that could be seen directly in front of her, housed one of the ports that they needed to find.

Pietro was getting impatient. He could hear the HYDRA men chatting beneath them in a language he didn't recognise. He slowly reached out to silently tap Ashley's calf, he jerked his head downward in a silent question, and she shook her head in response. The guards weren't leaving any time soon. He rolled his eyes in exasperation, but cocked a brow when he saw the conflict on her face.  _What is she doing?_

Ashley knew that they didn't have much time to waste, and these guards were definitely not going anywhere. She almost groaned when they stopped right outside the door.  _What is this, a cliché action movie?_  She had no choice but to do something to speed things up. She was glad that the two idiots were facing away from the vent, or they'd most likely notice the green glow that she was currently emitting.

Pietro watched as two wisps of green slithered into her palm from outside the vent, two thumps followed and he realised what she had done. Absorbing energy was quite a handy power to have.

Ashley hastily removed the metal grate and slid it aside as quietly as possible. She unzipped the backpack and pulled out the black rope from inside. Another one of Tony's creations. The rope itself had some sort of suction cap that she stuck to the roof of the vent…she was assured by the billionaire that it would hold no matter what. Cautiously, she climbed down with Pietro quickly following her lead.

"Help me move them into the room." She whispered when her eyes found the two unconscious men on the floor.

"What if there is someone in the room?" He grabbed hold of a pair of legs, getting ready to drag the body into the room Ashley was now heading towards. She dropped a leg when she reached for the door handle, and pushed it open quietly.

"There's no one here. I'd be able to feel it."

He had forgotten about that, it was also an incredibly useful ability to have. They made their way into the room, dropping the bodies behind a row of shelves. The room itself was dark and cold. Computers were stacked all over, and a dozen or so rows of shelves took up the rest of the room. But they didn't have time to take in any more of the surroundings.

"You should get going. Will you be okay on your own?" Pietro rolled his eyes at her worry. Of course he would be ok!

"I'll be fine. I'll see you back on the plane." He gave her a reassuring smirk before dashing out at full speed.

Ashley shook her head while watching him leave, a fond smile on her face as she remembered her purpose. She marched over to a large computer desk, six wide computer screens hung above it, while a small cube say in the centre of it.  _Well, that was easy_. She grinned when she saw the USB ports that covered the surface of the small cube. The USB was removed from her pocket and quickly pushed into place. All six screens lit up.

Each one asking for a username and password. She held her breath in anticipation when both were filled in automatically and entered. She heaved a sigh of relief when the 'please wait' became 'access granted'. Yet again the USB 'worked its magic', as Tony had suggested, and she watched all the files being downloaded flashed across the screens in a flurry of images. The rapid onslaught of images was doing her head no favours and she had to tear herself away from the screen.

The download was already at 27% completion, so she stood up to have a look around the shelves. They were covered in boxes of all sizes, and labelled accordingly. Fate was obviously with her that day, because the very first row of shelves that she had visited held a box labelled 'Assets'. The only time she had heard HYDRA use that word was when they were referring to Red.

She swiftly snatched the box from the shelf and brought it back to the desk, before ripping the lid off. Her eyes instantly widened when she caught the familiar glint of gold. Reaching into the box slowly, she wrapped her fingers around the hilt as she drew the golden dagger from the box. It glittered beneath her fingers, it was just as stunning as the first time she had laid her eyes on it. She couldn't believe that she had found it, she had entirely forgotten about it, certain that it was lost long ago when she was captured.

Her wonder made way for confusion. Why was her dagger in Red's box?  _Oh…_ She was an asset too. Realisation dawned on her, they had tried hard to get her to trust Red, and she definitely did. But she refused to ever help HYDRA. It irritated them more than anything to watch her so easily get along with the man, yet never accept what he represented.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a soft beeping noise. Looking back at the screens, she realised that the download was completed. It was time to leave. She quickly snatched up the USB, securing it in her pocket, before looking to the box once more. She placed the dagger on the desk while she looked through the remainder of items. Inside was a manila folder, the large bold writing stamped across it gave away who it was for.

**WINTER SOLDIER**

She was disappointed to see that they didn't have her own file in the box, but this one was more important to her anyway. She had little time to waste, so she quickly stashed the folder and the dagger into her backpack before throwing it onto her shoulders and returning the box to its original location. She had barely made it to the shelf when the door swung open, forcefully hitting the wall supporting it. She ducked behind the first row of shelves, hoping that she hadn't been seen. If it was Pietro, he was going to get a serious beating for that entrance.

Peaking through the gap between shelves she realised that it was in fact not the elder Sokovian. The HYDRA agent cautiously walked forward into the room, his dark eyes scanning every inch of it. He wore the typical black combat style clothing that all agents wore, with his dark hair slicked back. She recognised the M4A1 in his hands, she was familiar with them…you're always familiar with the guns you're shot at by. The very first time she had seen one was the day she had met Red, and the HYDRA agents that were with him had no problems with firing every last bullet that they had.

Ashley slowly crept backwards as the agent approached the shelves, if she could leave the room without alerting him to her presence, her escape would go much smoother. Unfortunately things never quite went how she wanted them to.

The man immediately spotted the two agents that had been dragged into the room, and jumped into action before Ashley could stop him.

"Code red! South archives have been breached! Send-"

He was cut off by a flash of green that knocked him unconscious against the wall, but she knew it was too late when the blaring alarm sounded throughout the facility. The security measures were already kicking in, and a large set of bolts interlocked against the door, trapping her inside. She already knew what material the metal was, HYDRA would never settle for anything other than the best when it came to security.  _Vibranium._

"Shit. Time to go."

Hastily making sure she had everything she needed, she watched as her suit illuminated in the dark room. The door would take some time to tear down unless she abandoned her restraint. But that was a no-can-do, for obvious reasons. But then again, doors always were overrated.

The fifteen or so HYDRA guards that were armed and waiting outside the door froze as the wall beside the door was blown apart like a grenade had been set off. Some were able to scramble out of the way of the large slabs that were projected from the explosion, but three or four weren't so lucky. Dust and dirt blanketed the air making it difficult to see more than a few metres ahead, but they didn't need to see the target, they just had to take it down.

Ashley hacked out a harsh cough, she really didn't think that through. She couldn't see what was waiting for her, but she had never needed to see to know that someone was around her. There were a lot of people waiting for her, and she wasn't naive enough to think they weren't armed. Good thing she was bulletproof. But that didn't make her any less angry them, a dangerous emotion in her current state.

The bright flash of rapid gunfire lasted for a little while, until total silence covered them. The dust had hardly settled, so they could only assume that their target was holey-er than Swiss cheese. They slowly inched forward, surrounding the hole in the wall from every side. They froze when they heard a voice call out to them.

"My father always told me that the downfall of Terra would come from the weakness of its people. He was right."

She ran forward, parting them like the Red Sea as green wisps slammed them against the walls, where they were held in place. She knew not to wait for Pietro, he was likely gone by now and they had all agreed to meet at the aircraft, that way they knew for certain if someone was caught.

Still, she smiled…they had what they came for. And she had found something worth the effort too.

* * *

"Stark, we have to head back. That alarm has been blaring for twenty minutes, she should be here by now."

Tony looked at Natasha as if she was stupid. But it was obvious that they were all thinking the same thing. Pietro had been pacing a hole to China, Wanda had been wringing her hands together for twenty minutes, Steve kept glancing towards the base, and Clint was perched in a tree. He could see better from a distance.

Tony seemed to be the only one with no worries, or as he liked to call it…complete faith in her abilities.

"Are you forgetting that  _she_  is more powerful than all of us combined? Stop freaking out so much, she's fine." Tony folded his arms across his chest as he faced the assassin. Her face betrayed nothing of her annoyance. But she needed to make sure the kid was alright…Fury's orders. And she kinda liked her spunk.

Before she could  _persuade_  Tony, Clint's voice broke through the silence. He met Pietro's eye as he looked back to the group, the elder Sokovian was the closest to him.

"I got her, she's coming over the hill. Seems-" He stuttered when Pietro shot off in a blur. "-fine." the archer mumbled silently.

The rest of the group barely had time to register Clint's words, when Pietro returned and lowered a stunned Ashley to the ground once again.

"You really gotta give me a warning before you do that." Pietro just smirked and walked over to rejoin his sister -shooting her a stern look when he noticed the knowing smile on her face.

Tony looked back at Natasha with a condescending smile. The dirty look she was throwing his was did little to deter what she knew was coming…

"See, told ya so." He unfolded his arms and adopted a look of confusion. "Why do you people never listen to me? You do know that I'm the  _only_  certified genius in our little band of misfits, right?"

The redhead rolled her eyes at the comment and decided that it would be best to ignore him. Instead she approached the youngest member.

"Did you get it?"

Ashley looked up to see Natasha. She nodded, reaching into her pocket and handing the older woman the USB. Natasha gave her a small smile of approval, glad that things were going according to plan.

"What was the hold up?"

Ashley's attention was turned to Clint, who swiftly dropped from a tree branch and landed steadily on his feet. She shrugged at him with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, you know…saw a few friends from back in the day, had a nice chat." The archer snickered and ruffled her hair roughly for the sarcastic comment. She swatted the offending hand away, shoving his shoulder as the man made his way to the jet.

"Smartass."

* * *

Ashley's eyes were closed while she leaned back in her seat. Her backpack was beside her, and even though she desperately wanted to look through the folder, she really didn't want to share that part of her life with the team. Red was special to her, and they didn't know him anyway, so there was no need for them to know about the folder.

Although her eyes remained closed, her thoughts were halted when she felt someone approach her. The person flung themselves into the seat beside her, sighing lazily. She smirked when she heard him sigh again, obviously wanting her attention. She refused to give it to him.

Until he poked her in the left cheek. Her smirk dropped but a humoured smile took its place.

"What are you doing?"

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"I asked you first."

"My question is more important."

She refrained from rolling her eyes at him. But looked at him nonetheless. The victory in his blue eyes matching his triumphant smirk. It faltered when she glared at him, crossing her arms to emphasise just how mad she was. His brows creased.

"What is it?"

She cocked a brow at him.  _The nerve…_

" _What is it?_  What, you think you can throw me that stupid weak-in-the-knees smirk and I'll just forget all about you acting like a dick yesterday? and this morning!"

Pietro winced when he remembered how short he had been with her, not to mention how he had treated Steve… _Wait a second!_

"Weak-in-the-knees smirk?" And the infuriating smirk found its place once more.

"So not the point right now!" She huffed, not tearing her eyes from the curl of his lips.

"Are you sure? If my lips distract you, we could always talk about my beautiful eyes instead."

Ashley's gaze met his own, and she noticed that he was barely holding back a laugh. She was way too flustered to hold a conversation with him right now. So she did the only thing she could do.

Pietro beamed internally. She was always so composed, he was the one that had to deal with the feelings that had built in him. But this conversation had sparked some hope in him. She had to find him attractive in some way, even if it was just his smile. But he knew. The moment she got up and marched for the doorway, he knew.

And he smiled to himself, as his head rested on the seat behind him.

* * *

_Stupid, arrogant smirk!_

That was a complete train wreck. She probably looked like an idiot. It's not like she had never seen a good-looking guy before. She lived with  _Red_ , for god's sake! The man was a god! But Pietro had that mischievous youthful charm, while Red was mysterious and far more mature.  _Why am I even thinking about this?_

She had done a lap of the aircraft and didn't know where to go. Definitely not back where she came from. She was eager to know what the USBs were needed for, so she decided to see the two assassins piloting the aircraft. She could make out the sound of conversation as she silently approached the cabin, and she came to a quick stop when she heard her name pop up.

"So are you going to tell me what Fury wants with Ash? Or are you going to keep me in the dark again?" Clint wasn't too happy with his partner. He wasn't happy with the situation either. He respected Nick Fury, he really did, but the man had a knack for trying to control powerful individuals, and it was obvious who his next target was.

Natasha felt bad keeping things from her closest friend. Clint was always the only one she could entirely trust, he saved her and gave her a new purpose in life. He invited her into his home, introduced her to a family no one had known about, and never asked her for anything in return. She would give him this.

"He wants intel on her. He wants to know what we're dealing with." Clint's brows furrowed in a mix between anger and confusion.

"What we're dealing with? It's Ash, she a kid…she's a friend. What else matters?"

Natasha sighed internally. She knew he wouldn't understand, he had a family. He had the compassion that came with love. It left no room for thinking logically, he was like Steve…only doing what was 'right', not what was necessary.

"Relax Clint, I like her too okay? But there is plenty more that matters. Her powers would make saving the world a hell of a lot easier than it's been in the past few years." She had honestly meant what she said, Ashley had very much grown on her, she respected the girl…which was quite a rare feat for someone to achieve.

Clint's expression remained the same. He didn't like where this conversation was going, and her certainly didn't like how much loyalty Nat had when it came to Fury. Nick was a relatively good guy, but he made mistakes…a lot of mistakes, and Nat still followed each order like an obedient soldier.

"I don't know if you noticed, but she _is_  helping us save the world. Doesn't today prove that? What about last time when she risked her life to secure a damn portal that S.H.I.E.L.D has been all over ever since?"

Natasha noted the hostility that was growing in his tone. He wasn't happy with her and she knew it. He was always telling her that she had too much faith in Nick, but she didn't. She just had the same mindset. They agreed on these things, it really wasn't a big deal.

"Look, we never got the chance to finish the experimentation on the tesseract…all Fury wants is to see what she can offer us. It could save a lot of lives, Clint."

Clint gave a humourless chuckle at his friend's words. He shook his head, not quite believing his ears.

"So they just want to experiment on her all over again. Some things never change, I thought S.H.I.E.L.D was free from HYDRA's influence, or is it the other way…HYDRA got the experimentation from S.H.I.E.L.D?" He kept shaking his head when Natasha didn't answer. But that wasn't good enough for him. "You know she'll never trust you again? Any of us? If she finds out, she gonna high tail it out of here, and I won't blame her."

"I'm not asking her to trust me. I'm just asking for her co-operation. We have her file, we just want to know what HYDRA found. She hasn't spoken about it at all, don't you think that's a little strange?"

The archer could see that he was getting nowhere with this conversation and turned his eyes forward, watching as they moved through the clouds.

"She's just a kid, Nat. She's spent her whole life running, she had no one before she had us. Of course she hasn't said anything. You were exactly the same…so how about we deal with the real problem here."

The redhead arched a perfectly sculpted brow at this.

"I get that Bruce leaving messed with your emotions, but you gotta let it go. He'll be back, you know he will. So stop taking it out on everyone else, and deal with it the way Natalia Romanoff would. Because right now, I'm missing the old you."

The female assassin's eyes had glazed over at the mention of her recent problems, but what really shot a pang through her was her best friend's last sentence.

Why was life always so hard?

* * *

Ashley hadn't bothered listening when they started talking about Bruce, whoever that was. The anger was burning through her veins and her mask had slipped off a while ago. This whole mission was just to get  _her_  file. They wanted to know what HYDRA had done so that they could try their own experiments. Her heart swelled with gratitude for Clint. The archer had defended her like a true friend, and she was glad that at least one person would be on her side. But what about the others.

Did they know about this at all? Was Tony aware? Did Steve know? She really didn't want to think about what would happen to their friendship if they did. But what could she do now? This Fury guy was obviously a head honcho and who knows how things would work out if he was the one calling the shots. One thing she definitely knew, was that she meant what she had said to Tony.

She was  _never_  going to be an experiment again.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super sorry for the long wait! Uni is slowly but surely murdering me! This one is slightly shorter and probably not that exciting but I didn't want to make you wait any longer :) This one is for PixelWulf...I hope you guys enjoy it!

It was a miserable day. Given the circumstances, everyday was a miserable day. Filled with anger, sadness, pain and confusion. 

So much confusion.

It was like digging a hole into the earth. The deeper he dug the hotter it would get, and the more it would burn. The physical pain he had experienced was minuscule compared to the mental anguish he had been exposed to during his life. All he could remember was the pain, and that was all he needed. He could use it, and he _did_ use it. Whenever they needed something from him it was the pain that had pushed him forward, it was the pain that gave him his purpose in the world.

He was a soldier. He had his orders and he followed them, like a puppet on strings, he always followed them. 

And then he saw _him_. The man on the bridge…and now the strings were cut. Now he was useless, with no orders he had no purpose. He had no past, so how was he supposed to have a future? 

And then of course, with the man came the pain. But not the pain he was accustomed to. No, no…this was something else entirely. 

The onslaught of memories, the distant flashes of what he assumed was the past, tortured him on a daily basis now. Even though he was no longer with _them_ , they still tortured him. Like his mind was a jigsaw puzzle, but he didn’t have all the pieces. But he didn’t need them…not yet. It gave him a purpose once more, an itch that he was tempted to scratch, and scratch it he did. He was determined to find those pieces.

He had begun to remember, slowly the pieces were appearing. They weren’t falling into place just yet, but the main thing is that they were there. The man on the bridge had known him, he had know who he _used_ to be. On some level he somewhat remembered him. But he wasn’t the same. He was _bigger_ than before, but he still had the kind and determined face that had materialised in his mind. 

_Till the end of the line…_

It was a statement, no - _a promise_ \- that played on repeat in his mind, every single day. But he was still struggling to remember more of the man he had been ordered to kill, he just _knew_ that the man was important.

He knew that his older memories would take longer to regain, but there were several that stood out from more recent years. Nothing too important…mainly training sessions and some of his more recent missions. It was enough to haunt his dreams, and leave a tingle of self-loathing in his mind whenever he remembered the dead faces and glassy eyes. But what really held his attention and toyed with his mind were the bright flashes scattered throughout his nightmares, popping up at random times like an overactive strobe light.

The pulsing shades of green assaulted him throughout the long days, and the endless nights.

A helicopter.

A book. 

A pair of eyes. _Green._

_No, brown._

Yes, they were brown...

Again, he didn’t have enough pieces. They were close…he was grasping for them, fingertips brushing against them, but not quite able to hold on yet. Just like the memories related to the soldier, he felt that these too were important for some reason. 

And he felt purpose swell within him once more. He would find out why that man was so familiar, and he would figure out who he had once been. He knew this mission would be his most difficult yet, both mentally and emotionally -if he could even remember how to _feel_ anything in the first place.

But it would all be worth it in the end…at least, that’s what he always told himself.

* * *

Upon landing at the tower, Ashley had snatched Wanda by the arm and led her ahead of everyone else before the plane’s wings could even fold up. This had of course drawn a variety of baffled looks from the rest of the team, with none of them knowing what had come over their youngest member. 

The action had taken the younger Sokovian by surprise as well, but the strong grip pulling her towards Ashley’s room provided little room for resistance. So she complied, soon enough she would know what this was about. 

Ashley locked her bedroom door, releasing Wanda’s wrist in the process, before turning back to face the older woman. Locking the door wasn’t exactly necessary, she would feel anyone’s presence before they made it that close, but for some strange reason it reassured her that they were alone. She turned around to see Wanda looking at her pointedly with a brow raised in question, and her arms folded across her chest.

But even the stern look on the Sokovian’s face was deemed irrelevant, and she was made well aware of that when she witnessed the barely concealed rage flitter across Ashley’s face. Her brows furrowed in a mix between confusion and concern for her friend, she opened her mouth to speak, only to snap it back shut when Ashley raised her hand to silence her. 

“I have a question, and you’re going to be honest with me.” 

It was an order, and after noticing the green slipping through her friend’s chocolate coloured eyes, Wanda didn’t question her and merely nodded, eager to find out what this display was about.

Ashley knew that she was slipping up. She could feel it coursing through her veins, and she could hear it humming through her skin. These were the types of situations she had tried to avoid throughout her life. Fear, pain, _anger_ …they were all things she couldn’t afford to feel, not when she was in such close proximity to someone. Someone she _cared_ about...

“Did you know why we went to the facility? What we were looking for?”

Wanda’s brows smoothed out and she adopted a faint look of contemplation, before shaking her head slightly.

“No, I just know what you know. We were looking for the HYDRA files…weren’t we?” She asked uncertainly.

Ashley had been watching her closely, searching for any trace of a lie, knowing that it was definitely in Wanda’s ability to figure out their true purpose. She was relieved to see no such thing in her elder’s eyes, and lightly chewed on her bottom lip as she marched over to her couch and perched herself on the edge of it. 

Wanda turned to face her friend, waiting patiently as Ashley ran a hand through her long dark hair, obviously wondering how to continue this strange conversation. Her question had caught Wanda off-guard, and the younger Sokovian’s curiosity had peaked knowing that there was an ulterior motive for breaking into the HYDRA facility. She knew that her brother was suspicious of their true purpose, but she had assured him that he was over-thinking things. They were a team, and teams didn’t lie to each other. Well, apparently they did. 

“Wanda,” The woman in question looked to her friend. “I need your help.”

She joined Ashley on the couch, turning to face the younger woman as she sat down. Ashley was her friend, and she would help her in whatever way she could…depending on what she would ask of her.

“What do you need?” 

_What do I need?_ It was a loaded question, and Ashley’s thoughts were all over the place. Years worth of loneliness and trust issues had resurfaced on the aircraft. It had been so long since she had friends…in fact, she never really did have friends. Just a sister, and a protector. Although she was fairly certain she would encounter Gamora again, Red was all but lost to her, all she had left of him was his file. And now, just as she started to open up and trust the people that had kindly taken her in like a stray pup, she starts to question whether she ever should have trusted them at all. 

Is that why they didn’t want her going with them? Because they were worried that she would find out? But Tony had wanted her to go, in fact, he had been adamant that she were to go with them…and he had previously reassured her. So she had one friend amongst them, and now she was sure that Wanda boosted that total up to two. But what about Steve? What about Pietro? Did they know about this? 

She didn’t even want to think about it. Pietro knew things that the others didn’t, and she hoped that he hadn’t been intentionally trying to gain her trust. Steve was more like her than he knew. Both were out of time and place, never to return home. It hurt to think that they had known about it…but her gut told her that they had no clue. 

In the end it didn’t really matter whether they knew or not. She was on this ‘Fury’ guy’s radar, and that was not reassuring. Judging by Clint’s words, and the tenseness of Natasha during the entire conversation, it was clear to see that an introduction with Fury was something best avoided. 

Then there was the fact that they wanted to poke and prod at her again. _Because that worked so well for HYDRA._ This Fury guy probably thought she would be more cooperative because she was friends with his ‘lap dogs’, as Tony had called them. Well then he had another thing coming. Her father ensured that self-worth was engraved into her mind. She was _important_ , and even though he was a mad man, children are easily manipulated. She would never admit it, but spending so much time with the 'Mad Titan' had taken its toll on her own mental state, and she shared more of his beliefs than she thought. 

She would fight. Her family had raised her to do nothing but survive, it was beaten into her each day. During training, during sessions with her father, in her dreams. Everything she did had one single purpose, no matter what the cost.

_Survival_

…and this would be no different. 

She looked up to face her friend’s somewhat nervous features. A small, but reassuring smile spread across Ashley’s face when Wanda visibly relaxed at the request. 

“I need you to buy me some time.”

* * *

Pietro was completely lost. The team had no idea what Wanda and Ashley were discussing, but unlike the rest of the group, Pietro wanted to know. 

What if something was wrong?

What if they were fighting again?

What if they were talking about him?

_Oh no_. Wanda surely wouldn’t have said anything to her…would she? What if she had cracked under pressure, and told Ash everything? He would kill her if she did. But just thinking about all the possible conversations they could be having in that moment made him antsy. He was having a mental debate over whether or not to burst into the room and rip his sister our of it, so as to avoid any slip ups. 

But he couldn’t do that. It would be far too suspicious, not to mention that it would probably be a bit rude to interrupt them like that. And why did he even care? He was supposed to be mad at the woman!

But he had to do something. It had been ten minutes since they had all left the quinjet and the group had disbanded, leaving him to suffer alone in his room, while his sister sat down the hall probably ruining his life.

In a flash he was outside Ashley’s door, fist ready to knock, when the door swung open to reveal a blank faced Ashley. 

The two stared at each other for a moment, before Ash cocked a curious brow. Pietro realised that his fist was still in the air, and he quickly brought it back to his side. He really hadn’t thought his actions through, and now he had no idea what to do, or even say. 

“Uh…”

“We’re all done, you can have her back now.” Ashley smiled at the elder Sokovian. She knew he had most likely paced a hole through the floor of his room, because of his curiosity. From what she knew about him, he didn’t like not knowing things. Especially if these things involved his sister. 

“What?” His brows twitched in confusion. Ashley gave him a strange look, before speaking slowly to him, to make sure he understood her. He seemed pretty out of it.

“Your sister? You can have her back now.” 

Pietro made a face at the slightly condescending tone, and rolled his eyes when the younger woman smirked at his expression. 

“Yes. Wanda. I’m here for Wanda…let’s go Wanda.” 

The woman in question struggled to keep a straight face after watching her brother flounder. It was great to see him  nervous for once, it reassured her that the blank look he often wore whenever she asked him about their newest recruit, was just a way to mask his feelings. 

Nevertheless, she stood from her seat on the couch and made her way to the doorway, where her brother stood glaring at her. She shot him a devious grin, when Ashley turned away to walk towards her bathroom, mumbling a goodbye as she went.

“You-“

“Shut up.” 

And with that said, he sped off to his room in a blur of blue and silver.

Wanda chuckled, closing Ashley’s door behind her. Pietro had shown up just after Ashley had told her what the plan was. She explained what she had overheard the two assassins talking about, and Wanda was both disappointed and angry after hearing what the mission was _really_ for. But she had assured Ashley that much like herself, Pietro wasn’t involved in their plans. 

Now all that she had to do was wait. Wait until late in the night, when Ash came to her room and their own plan would be put in motion. 

* * *

Ashley was relieved to hear that _both_ twins hadn’t known about their true purpose in Greece. It meant that she wasn’t as alone in this as she had originally believed, and more importantly, it meant that she still had her friends. In a way she felt bad by asking Wanda for this particular favour, it would be difficult for her to do, and she was sure that it would stretch her moral code somewhat.

But then she remembered why she had to do this. 

They wanted to weaponise her power…they wanted to _experiment_. She had to find out what was on those files, she had to find out if HYDRA had managed to figure anything out about her. Most importantly, she had to sensor just what Fury would see. The last thing she wanted was a complete stranger knowing any potential weaknesses or even strengths for that matter. 

Then there was the fact that her genetic make up would most likely isolate her even further. Xandar was far from being Terra, and she had a feeling that her new friends wouldn’t really appreciate not being told she was an ‘alien’. 

But then again the Avengers consisted of a genius billionaire not-so-much-playboy-anymore philanthropist, a World War || veteran that looked like a Calvin Klein model and also happened to be a super-soldier, enhanced twins who almost helped a robot destroy the world, a Norse god…'nuff said. Not to mention a pair of assassins who had most likely killed more people than the rest of them combined. 

So she was pretty sure the judgement wouldn’t really be a problem. But the thought of assassins made her jump up quickly. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for what she just remembered. She smiled when she saw the backpack leaning on her bedside table and marched over to it. Placing it in her lap when she sat down, she couldn’t help but be a little excited to finally read the file that she had taken from the facility. 

She placed the bag beside her on the bed after taking the file out. The manila folder wasn’t too thick, but she almost stopped breathing when she opened it. The paperclip on the top corner of the folder held together a few photos of various sizes, and the one staring at her was tiny, showing Red as she had never seen him before. 

A smiling and carefree face that looked exactly the same, yet so much more youthful because of the joyful features. He was wearing a peaked military cap, and a uniform of matching colour, with a charming grin tugging his lips upwards. His face only occupied about an inch of the photo, but the brightness in his expression made it seem larger than life. She couldn’t help but sadly smile back. 

It was only once she turned the photo around that her smile dropped, and everything around her seemed to still. Her brows furrowed in confusion, which then turned to shock as she figured out what the text truly meant.

Sgt. James Buchanan Barnes - 1941

Surely they didn’t? They _couldn’t_ have…why? How could they?

Her thoughts were running rampant, and she almost blanched when her eyes flickered over to the next page of the report. What were the chances? Of all the people, in all of the worlds, for her to be captured by…

Right there in bold text under ‘KNOWN ASSOCIATES’...

_He was Steve’s best friend._

* * *

Pietro had gone to the gym after abandoning his sister. Originally he had wanted to spend some time with her and inquire about what she had discussed with Ash, but as soon as he saw the mocking look on her face when they left the newest recruit’s room, he abandoned that idea too. 

He had just gotten out of the shower, not even fully dressed yet, when he heard a light knock at the door. Thinking it was his sister coming to mock him some more, he told her that it was open. At least he would get it out of the way before interrogating her. 

What he hadn’t expected to see when the door swung open, was the stunned face of Ashley quickly glancing at his bare chest before narrowing her gaze to the floor. He bit his lip to keep his smirk at bay, while memories of their chat on the quinjet came to mind.

“Oh, uh…I’m uh, I’m sorry…I didn’t know you were, um…” She waved her hand in his direction, not quite able to form the words. 

The last thing she expected to walk in on was a half dressed Pietro. She couldn’t recall really seeing anyone but Red shirtless, and it caught her off-guard. Not that she was complaining… _definitely not complaining._ But when she realised that he wasn’t replying to her pathetic explanation, she chanced a glance upwards again. Now that she had a proper look at him, she could clearly see the round scars scattered across his arms and torso. When he noticed the quick furrowing of her eyebrows, he self-consciously grabbed the grey sweater from the bed beside him, inconspicuously trying to cover himself.

But she was having none of that. Purposefully striding over to him, she gently took the shirt from his hands, and noticed his eyes clench shut in embarrassment. He hated that she had found him like this…in his most vulnerable state. He hated the scars, every last one of them served as a reminder. A reminder that even with his power, he was not invincible, a reminder of the destruction he and his sister had played a part in…a reminder that he had almost broken his promise. The fact that _this_ woman had to look at such a ghastly sight had made his chest ache in shame, as if he was being hit all over again. 

“Wanda told me what happened, but I didn’t realise…"

His eyes snapped open and he almost shivered when he felt soft fingers gliding over the scar on his right bicep, before slowly making their way across his shoulders and to his strong chest. He almost flinched in surprise when he noticed the soft look on her features…he had prepared for shock or disgust, but not admiration.

“My sister once told me that scars showed you who the strongest warriors were…without even knowing the person, you could tell that they were a survivor. You shouldn’t hide them, they show how much stronger you are than anyone else here…and I really admire that.” 

The sincerity of her words had him itching to reach out for her, but he held himself in place while he stared at her. His stormy blue eyes met her warm chocolate ones, and they just took a moment to stare at each other, neither quite willing to look away…until Ashley quietly cleared her throat, looking away while letting her hand slowly slip from his chest. He caught it before it could fall back to her side, giving it a grateful squeeze before releasing it once more.  

“Thank you."

Ash simply smiled in response. It was strange to see someone who had so much confidence, so vulnerable before her. 

“I was actually kinda bored, so I thought I’d come see if you wanted any company…”

That had taken Pietro by surprise. Of all the people in the Tower for her to go to for company, she had come to him. He felt a sense of pride, knowing that she had chosen him over his sister…that had to mean something, right?

“Of course. Come, sit down.” 

And she did. They spent the evening watching whatever shows were on the TV. Neither of them really paid attention…they were too focused on chatting to really notice what was playing. Before long, they had both fallen asleep. Pietro had fallen into a deep slumber, while Ashley met the demons of her past.

* * *

_“Where am I?”_

_The question echoed around her as if it had been shouted through an empty room. But she could see no walls. No doors, floors…no light._

**_Nothing._ **

_But darkness._

_Then suddenly she felt darkness around her shake. Her body almost collapsing from the movement, as a bright but far away light called out to her. It looked so distant, a mere speck in the darkness...so out of reach. Yet she knew that it was exactly where she needed to be. She felt her feet stiffen in place, unable to move towards the light she yearned for. Her jaw clenched in aggravation as she tried desperately to move. Her rage continued to grow, and the panic that came with the thought of never being able to reach the light was too much._

_“Why am I here?!”_

_The shrieking cry was met with a deep and sinister chuckle that echoed through the darkness. Her head twisted around, desperately trying to locate the owner while her feet remained glued to the ground. She knew that sound. She had heard it a million times, and she had hoped that she wouldn’t hear it ever again. Wishful thinking._

_“Why are you here? Get out of my head…get out of my dream!” What started off as a whisper, ended in a panicked screech. This couldn’t be happening. Not now…everything was going so well in her life, why couldn’t they just leave her alone?_

_“Your dream…” The low growl sent a shiver up her spine, and she felt every muscle in her body tense painfully when she felt the breath beside her ear._

_“You think this is a dream, child? **This**  is reality. The life you were made for…you learnt your purpose long ago…you were born to serve me. You will fulfil your potential, you will tear apart everything you think you know, so that you can be  **sure**  that there is  **nothing**  left for you in this world,  **nothing**...but my order. And perhaps when I finally strip you of everything…your power, your freedom, your **mind** …when you are nothing but air in a prison of flesh and bone, only then will I allow you to hold the cold hands of my love.” _

_Ashley blanched at his threat. She felt like a child once again, terrified of what he was capable of…and she knew that he wasn’t one for empty threats. She felt her knees give way as her binds were cut, and she felt to the floor pathetically on her hands and knees. Leaning back on her legs, she looked to the light once more._

_However, this time the light was growing brighter and brighter until she could clearly make out what the shape was._

**_Terra._ **

_It appeared to be completely normal. She could see North America, and the clouds that drifted over Canada and New York. She had almost forgotten about the other presence in the room entirely, until she witnessed something that she would never forget…something that tore at her chest more than anything ever had._

_She watched passively as the sparks of black and green spread over the world like a disease. She watched as the lands of Earth caved in, and the structures collapsed. She watched as the very people were burnt alive by the waves of energy that covered the globe. She couldn’t watch when the faces of her friends were twisted into masks of immeasurable pain._

_She couldn’t bare it._

_“They will all die…and you, **my child** , will be the one to deliver them to the gates of Hel.” _

_It was a whispered promise that would haunt her for as long as she lived._

* * *

 

**His 'love' is death if anyone was wondering...threw in a little bit of Bucky too haha! I will be super busy with exams, but I hope that I can update a little quicker than this one! Thanks for all the support, and I'll see ya soon! :D**

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! This is a shortish one, but something important happens :) Thanks for taking the time to read this, and sticking with this story :D

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1...**

Chapter 18:

Ashley sat upright with a gasp. Her eyes shot around the room in panic, making sure she wasn't still dreaming. Making sure  _he_  wasn't still there.

It was only when she managed to convince herself that she was somewhat safe, that she tried to control her frantic breathing. A light groan from beside her caught her attention, and her tense shoulders slackened when she saw the outline of Pietro beside her. It wasn't real. They were all ok.

_For now…_

The two words made something in her chest clench painfully. She wished that she could tell herself it was nothing more than a dream - _nightmare_ \- but she knew it wasn't. It was a warning…it was a promise of what was to come.

Her eyes squinted at the numbers on the alarm clock, they blurred together until her eyes adjusted to the harsh glare. It was 11:42; she was lucky that she had woken up on time, no matter the circumstances of said wake up. She hadn't intended to fall asleep in the first place, but for some reason she just couldn't help but feel completely comfortable in this particular room.

Slowly, and ever so quietly, she peeled herself off of the bed and tiptoed to the door. She smiled softly when she heard Pietro's deep breaths, glad that she hadn't woken him up…even though he would definitely be asleep in the next 15 minutes…

She approached the door a few metres down the hallway, and knocked twice. The door opened almost immediately, and judging by the expression on Wanda's face, the older woman was ready to help her friend.

"Hey, ready to go?"

Wanda merely nodded in response, a half-hearted smile tugging at her lips. She knew that this would be necessary, but she had never kept anything from Pietro, and this wasn't exactly a  _small_ secret to keep from him. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the USB that she had swapped for a modified one that Ashley had given her before Pietro interrupted their chat, earlier in the day.

"Great. How long can you give me?"

"Around 15 minutes…is that enough?"

Ashley nodded in approval and accepted the USB. She had gone through and replicated the data on Natasha's USB and marked out or deleted all that she didn't want the assassin seeing, before she gave it back to Wanda, who returned it before they were found out. The replicate was now in Natasha's possession, while the other (which hadn't been altered) would remain with Ashley so that she could read through the files herself. Now she had to make sure that the copy Natasha had surely made on Tony's hard drive had the same modifications. It wouldn't be easy, and in all honesty, she didn't know if it was entirely possible…but she was about to find out.

The two young women slowly crept through the tower. The lights had been dimmed down just enough to show them where they were going. Tony had preferred it that way during the night. Eventually they reached their destination, and Ashley thanked whichever Norse god was listening that Tony had opted for an early night. That was definitely a sign…he  _never_  had an early night!

"Ok, I'm pretty sure that if I open this door J.A.R.V.I.S will be on my ass ASAP, and that means Tony will be on my ass ASAP…"

Wanda nodded in understanding; she knew what Ashley was implying. "You want me to do it now?"

"Yeah, I think that might be best." She smiled at the Sokovian, and reached out to grab her arm before she could do anything. Wanda looked at her in confusion.

"I just want to say thank you. I know I'm asking a lot of you, and I know you'd rather not hide this from Pietro…but I promise I will tell him soon."

The relief on Wanda's face was clear to see, as was the newfound determination that replaced her previous worries. Ashley got a tiny glimpse of the red swirling in Wanda's eyes, before the Sokovian closed them and raised her hands in preparation.

The red wisps of power slithered through the hallways of the tower, searching for their targets. She felt each mind that her power connected to, the first being her brother because he was the easiest to find. Natasha and Clint came next. She almost hesitated when she realised that the red head assassin was still awake, but she was lying in bed nonetheless. Then they found Steve, before finally reaching Tony and Pepper.

She cautiously pried into each mind, her power ensuring that none would wake. Of course, she could only do this for a short amount of time given her limitations…hence Ashley's 15 minute time restraint.

After Wanda's nod of encouragement, Ashley placed her hand over the control pad that would allow her access to the lab. The burst of green that followed resulted in the successful opening of the door, and she paid no mind to the loud beeping that signalled an intruder. Either way, no one was going to hear it.

Quickly she made her way over to the main server and plugged the USB into a port, before walking over to the main computer in the room. She didn't really know what she was doing, but the abundance of wires made it look like the most important one…hey, not everyone can be a Tony Stark!

_"Ash, I'm going to have to ask you to please exit the lab."_

"J.A.R.V.I.S, buddy…I'm really sorry about this…"

With that said, she gripped the wires tightly in her hand, not even bothering to control the mask that had slipped off of her face. J.A.R.V.I.S had lost control and she knew it. A large hologram appeared in the centre of the room, and she watched as each file, photo and document rapidly flickered across the screen in a barrage of information.

After 7 long minutes of absolutely no luck in finding anything, Ashley was beginning to wonder if a copy had been made at all, and if this had been a complete waste of time. But then again, Tony had  _a lot_  of files.  _Seriously, what the hell is all this crap?_  And that meant that it could just be taking longer to sort through all the-

"Got it!"

"Hurry, I can't hold them much longer!"

"Ok, here's what you're going to do for me J.A.R.V.I.S…I need you to replace the 'Asset 9' files with the ones I just uploaded, and then remove all traces of the original file from every system you can find. Can you do that for me?"

_"Of course, Ash."_

The AI's voice was distorted, as if it was malfunctioning. But Ashley knew that it was just because of the abundance of power that was going though the system.  _Too much…_

"Oh, and J.A.R.V.I.S? Delete all traces of us ever being here. Replace the video footage, do whatever you have to do…we were _never_ here, ok? _"_

_"Right away, madam."_

She watched as J.A.R.V.I.S did exactly as instructed and snatched up the USB as soon as he was done.

"Alright, Wanda…we're good to go!"

"We have to be quick, I don't know if they will wake once my hold on their minds slips. For now, none of them are aware that I ever entered…but my brother can usually tell…"

The younger woman latched onto the Sokovian's arm and they hastily made their way back to their floor and hallway. They stood in front of Wanda's room, and Ashley pulled her friend into a grateful hug when her speech trailed off.

"Don't worry about him…I'll let him know when he wakes up. Thanks again, Wanda, you really don't know how much it means to me. I haven't really been able to rely on anyone for years, and no matter what happens...I'm just really glad I met you."

She hadn't meant to sound so solemn, and this definitely wasn't goodbye, but her dream had told her that her time was almost up and she wanted to ensure that Wanda was aware of how appreciative Ashley was to have her friendship.

Wanda on the other hand, had to keep a frown from marring her features. Although she was happy to hear that Ashley trusted her so much, she felt as if there was something that the younger woman wasn't telling her…something hidden beneath the surface, which urged her to say such things.

"I'm glad I could help. The only person I have ever had in my life is Pietro. When our parents died…I had no one but my brother, he helped me through my life and I wouldn't be here without him, so I'm happy that I can be the same for you."

When they finally finished their quick chat, Ashley watched Wanda's door shut behind her, before sneaking back into Pietro's room. What? She couldn't leave or he would get suspicious… _yeah…that's why._

* * *

Dark lashes fluttered as his eyes opened, his brows were drawn together in discomfort. His increased metabolism kept his body at a relatively high temperature, and whatever was currently pressing against his left side was doing nothing to help him cool down.

Though as soon as he opened his eyes, Pietro didn't seem to mind much. Nope…not at all.

A small smile tugged at his lips when he noticed the woman leaning against him, not lying on her back, but not quite lying on her side either. His smile widened a fraction when her eyebrows would twitch, obviously she was dreaming and for a moment he wished that he could have his sister's power to see just what was going through her mind.

_His sister's power._

He was never  _exceedingly_  bright like the Tony Starks of the world, but he definitely wasn't a fool either. His senses were impeccable. He knew his sister better than anyone, he had been the only one to help her learn to control the abundant amount of power that she had gained…so he liked to think that he could more often than not, tell when she was using it against him.

And he did.

He didn't know  _wh_ y his sister tampered with his mind during the night, but he did know that she definitely had done so. It was the minor details. Dreams are always hazy…they can never have perfect details, and you can never quite manage to remember  _all_  of the details. It's like trying to draw someone's face entirely from memory. No matter how well you know them, you'll never be able to get every little detail.

He had come to realise one thing in the time he spent helping his sister. One thing that he decided to keep to himself…

She thought the details were essential in ensuring the authenticity of dreams. She had to get the tiniest of details, or she thought that it would be entirely obvious that they had been tampered with. What she didn't realise was that the opposite was true as well.

It was the faint tinge of red that surrounded the borders of his mind. The colour that only those with experience in dealing with her power, were able to recognise. So no, she hadn't fooled him this time, and he was glad that he had never told her of this seemingly insignificant fault.

Now he just had to find out  _why_.

But that would wait for later…right now, he had more pleasant things on his mind.

As if possessed, his right hand involuntarily reached out to her, while he carefully moved onto his side. The tips of his long fingers softly trailed across her cheek and along her jaw, hesitating slightly when her nose twitched instinctively.

With his smile still in tact he turned towards the alarm clock on his bedside table, and was glad to see that it was 9:14. She would be awake soon, and he-

"Morning, hot stuff."

His head snapped back around, resting only inches from her own. He froze when he noticed her expression. The soft smile, closed eyes and the dishevelled mess of hair…it was completely clichéd, but she looked beautiful in the morning.

God…when did this even happen to him? He couldn't stand being in the same room with her when he first met her, and now he was one step away from writing sonnets! She had wriggled her way under his skin and she didn't stop until she reached a certain organ.

And then there was the conversation that they had during the flight…not to mention when she walked in on him shirtless. It had reassured him that even if she didn't like him in the same way he liked her, she still found him attractive enough to make her nervous.

"Good morning."

He cleared his throat quietly, appalled at how groggy it sounded, and unaware of how it had affected her. He stared as she opened her dark eyes, not caring enough to turn away. She was so close to him, he wanted to reach out and touch her again, but dismissed such thoughts instantly. If he scared her off, then he could say goodbye to any form of friendship that they had already established.

Ashley was half asleep, but as she stared at the man beside her, memories of the previous night flashed through her mind and she remembered her promise to Wanda. She took a moment to wonder how to approach the topic, but then she decided to just do it the easiest way possible.  _Straight to the point._

"I need to tell you something."

She had whispered it, but their close proximity allowed him to hear her clearly, and the words definitely caught his attention.

"Promise you won't be mad?"

Well, that was never a good thing to start with. He cocked a brow but nodded nonetheless. She sat upright, leaning on the headboard as she began recounting all that had transpired in the past two days.

A flurry of emotions had assaulted him with each revelation.

The relief in knowing that his suspicions about the redhead and S.H.I.E.L.D were confirmed.

The anger at Fury for wanting to experiment on her.

The slight betrayal from his sister when she had delved into his mind uninvited…though that was quickly smothered by the triumph that came with knowing that he was the only one Ashley trusted enough to inform of all these things…other than his sister. But then again, she only told Wanda because she needed her help.

But despite all these things, there was one thing that was still on his mind.

"What about on the aircraft?"

Her dark brows creased in thought. She didn't really know what he meant, so she asked as much.

"When you were screaming? You lost control."

_Oh, that._

"It…it was just some kind of flashback, I guess."

She tried to turn away in dismissal, but he noticed the blankness on her face and pulled her back to the same position she had woken up in. His grip on her upper arm was firm, but not strong enough to hurt her.

"You're lying."

She wasn't surprised that he noticed. He seemed to be quite good at noticing the small details, and she wasn't sure if she should be glad or worried about his ability to clearly tell when she was lying. With a deep sigh, their eyes met once more, and she relaxed into the soft mattress.

"Ok. I don't know what it was."

Before he could ask what she meant, she dragged a hand wearily over her face and continued.

"It was like, a flashback…but a warning at the same time."

He frowned.

"A warning about what?"

She closed her eyes peacefully, though her mind was in overdrive. That was the question she had asked herself a million times over, and every time she came to the same conclusion...

"The end."

* * *

After her chat with Pietro, Ashley had trekked it back to her own room, eager to read through some more ex-HYDRA files. She couldn't handle continuing Red's file just yet, so she decided to read her own.

Of course this meant that she would need a computer, and that meant that Tony would probably be able to read through everything that she was going through. So she decided to tap into her power the same way she had the previous night. She wouldn't be able to use the same amount of power, otherwise Tony would be alerted of her output levels increasing, but she could still use just enough to remain undetected… _hopefully._

She plunged her arm into her backpack, and searched for the familiar USB. The stunning golden knife glinted in the light, and she pulled it out before sliding it under one of her pillows instead. Finally, her hands blindly found the USB and she sat on top of the green sheets with the laptop resting in front of her.

Inserting the USB into its port on the side of the laptop she had asked Tony to borrow (even though he had given it to her to keep), she waited until the files were made available.

She had severely underestimated how many files HYDRA had, and the fact that they were all labeled with random numbers made it even more difficult to recognise which file was which - though she did manage to find some pretty devious things, but they could wait for later.

After 42 solid minutes of searching, she finally found a file labelled 'UO-HA-9'. What did that stand for? She had no idea. But the main thing was that they had everything. And she really meant,  _everything_.

From x-rays and blood composition, to genomic data and neurological barriers, to her favourite damn colour! But on the bright side…at least Fury would never have it.

At the beginning of the file were the x-rays. Although she knew what a skeleton looked like, she decided to see them anyway…what harm could it do?

Her face formed a disbelieving grimace at the image she was staring at.  _Zoom in._  She  _needed_  to zoom in.  _What the hell is that?_

What was a once a full body scan, turned into a close up of her torso by the time she had zoomed in. Her head tilted sideways as her eyes traced over the ribcage -or rather, what was underneath it- in the image. Subconsciously, her right hand lifted to her own ribs and her fingers trailed along the same path her eyes were following on the screen.

She slammed the laptop shut and raced over to the large bathroom mirror, throwing her shirt off while she ran. She stared at the previously unexplainable scar in a mix of horror and recognition. Once more, her fingers trailed over the cleanly cut line.

Who would have thought about the power that rested underneath it? Who would have imagined that her father would trust her to protect such a thing?

One thing was for sure, she knew why she needed to run now.

* * *

_"What do you plan to do with them, father?"_

_The girl gazed at the glowing objects through the glass that housed them. They were glowing so brightly…so alluring and tempting._

_That was the whole point though, wasn't it?_

_They would tempt you. Ultimate power lay in each one, and they seemed so beautiful. It would be so easy to find a master…to have some fool try to take the power for themselves, only to realise that the only thing they were taking was an excruciatingly painful death._

_"They will be secured in locations of my choosing until the rest are found. I will not have them all together in one location. It is foolish."_

_The girl nodded in understanding. It was indeed a stupid idea to keep them all there…even though people were seldom foolish enough to attempt stealing from her father, some Ravagers were the worst kind of thrill-seekers._

_"Where do you plan to send them?"_

_His equally glowing bright eyes took in the gems before him with a rare fondness that no living being had ever had the honour of being the subject of. People were weak, and he only cared for the powerful._

_"One will be placed in the sceptre."_

_His 'daughter's' gaze looked to the golden sceptre that sat behind a separate glass case on the far side of the room._

_"And the other, father?"_

_A devilish grin stretched its way across his purple face when he thought about his answer. He knew it would hurt Gamora to abandon his youngest, and even though they remained his favourite 'daughters', when it came to suffering he couldn't care less as to who it was. He enjoyed watching it all the same._

_"The other…the other will be sent to Terra."_

* * *

She was still thinking about the chunky green stone that had been encased by glass -  _and my ribcage_...when J.A.R.V.I.S decided to snap her out of the shocking revelations.

"Ash, it appears that Agent Romanoff is asking for you. Shall I tell her that you are unavailable?"

"Oh, um…no J.A.R.V, that's ok. Tell her I'll be up in a minute."

"Right away, madam."

"Thanks…oh and J.A.R.V? What kind of mood is she in?"

She was hoping that Natasha would be in a good mood…that meant that she hadn't noticed anything off with the files. But her luck had really run out.

"She seems slightly hostile, if I may say so myself. Though Mr. Fury seems even worse."

" _Great_. Thanks, buddy."

"Always a pleasure, Ash."

_Well…shit._

_Now Fury is here too? Day just keeps getting better and better..._

She ran a hand through her long hair, sighing heavily. The last thing she wanted to do right now was talk to someone. She needed time to wrap her head around what was happening. Her father had stuffed an  _infinity stone_  in her, and abandoned her on Terra… _for safe keeping?_  At least she now knew why they had left her.

As a child, she had believed that they no longer wanted her. But they did. They just left her there to safeguard the stone…until the time was right.

_Run, sister…_

She had been entrusted with one of the most important tasks her father would ever give her. He had trusted her to protect one of the things he holds above all else.  _Power._

But she knew that as soon as he got the stone back from her and she completed her role in his plans, he could kill her. That was simply the way things went. When he needed something he would ensure that he had the right people to provide success, what happened after that was not important. Thanos never liked loose ends, but for some reason he always allowed his 'daughters' to live…perhaps death wasn't on the horizon just yet.

And then she remembered her dream. Death would only meet her when Terra was destroyed. Now she knew why she had to run…now she knew exactly what her sister was talking about. Her friends could live, as long as Thanos never found her…

"I'll run, sister."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, things are certainly about to change :P Just so you know, I'm very technologically challenged...so if I get any computer stuff wrong please let me know, because I really am a complete amateur haha! 
> 
> Also, if anyone likes fan art etc, feel free to send some in so that I can change the cover photo...I feel like something new :) 
> 
> I will update soon. I promise you'll have a chapter for Christmas. I love you all, bye!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! First off I wanna say a very late Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it! To those who don't, I hope you had a nice few days off anyway, and to those who celebrate the 7th of January...I wish you a very early Merry Christmas :P Also Happy New Year! because I won't update until well after it haha :) This chapter is kinda plot, kinda boring...but it's something, right?

**Chapter 19:**

"Run, sister."

"I'll run, sister."

…

"But not yet."

Because in truth, it was getting harder and harder to even consider such a thing. Yes, she had gone and gotten herself attached to the people that had saved her, and she didn't regret it one bit.

Now she had other problems to deal with. Fury was here and Natasha had asked to see her…it didn't take a genius to know what they were going to ask about. But Ashley had to wonder if they had managed to find out that she had altered the files in the early hours of the morning. She doubted that they did, but then again, she wouldn't put anything past Natasha Romanoff.

Before she knew it, she had reached the shiny metal door on one of the lower levels that J.A.R.V.I.S had guided her to. Taking a calming breath, she reached for the polished door handle and pushed it open, while her free hand gave a small knock to alert them of her presence.

Honestly, she had been slightly nervous about the following encounter. She remembered the first time she saw Fury at the Avengers Facility, and the no-nonsense air of authority that surrounded him. But then her mind thought back to all that she had faced in this world - _and out of it_ \- and she knew that she had nothing to worry about.

Upon opening the door, she noticed two sets of eyes settle on her from. Natasha's eyes were empty of any emotion, unwilling to give anything away to the younger woman who had just entered. While the man standing next to her with his hands raised as if he were just explaining something to her, focused his single uncovered eye on the newcomer in the room.

He wore dark clothing once again, with the same intimidating eye patch covering his left eye. He casually made his way over to a small metal table in the centre of the room, a chair placed on either side of it. He took a seat in the one facing the door, and sighed slightly as he made himself comfortable and entwined his fingers together.

"Miss Conlon, please…sit." He waved a hand to the seat in front of him, before clasping his hands together once more on top of the table.

Ashley's face remained impassive, though she did glance at an equally impassive redhead that leaned against one of the walls with her arms crossed against her chest. She walked forward casually, taking a seat when she reached the chair.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Fury?"

The man in question stared at her, as if he were trying to read her thoughts and intimidate her at the same time. She could have laughed.

She had served Thanos for most of her childhood…could humans even be intimidating anymore?

"Yes, I thought it was about time we officially met." An untrained ear wouldn't have been able to recognise the false pleasantness in his tone, but Ashley could. So he was a liar too…as if she needed another reason to not like him.

"I agree. It seems like everyone knows you except for me…" she trailed off with a slight laugh, shuffling slightly in her seat to get more comfortable. "Or is it the other way around?"

Fury gave her a questioning look, encouraging her to continue.

"You know everyone, except for me?" His face regained its blankness, not wanting to show her the dislike he had for her answer. "I'm sure that it must be frustrating. Someone so used to knowing everything…knowing  _nothing_."

Natasha's glare was burning the side of Ashley's head. The assassin owed Nick so much, and to have someone clearly disrespect him was annoying. She liked Ashley, sure…but she wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger if given the choice between her or Nick. She was snapped out of her thoughts when her old boss decided to speak up.

"Well it sure seems like you  _think_  you know me."

Ashley shook her head in good humour, and even gave a small chuckle. "Oh no, sir, I don't know a thing about you. But if you think that, then I can't be too far off now, can I?"

Fury's eye bore into her face, assessing her once more. He hadn't expected this. He was told that the girl was powerful, but quite friendly overall. Obviously that wasn't entirely true…she was calculating and cryptic. That didn't sit well with him. So he adopted another approach.

"Ok, how about we give up on the chit-chat and cut to the chase? I want to know how you managed to alter those files."

"Excuse me?"

Fury and Natasha could see genuine confusion on the girl's face, but neither knew that it wasn't born from the content of the question. In all honesty, Ashley hadn't expected to be caught so quickly. The former S.H.I.E.L.D director shared a significant glance with his former employee, each of them noting that perhaps they had jumped the gun on this one.

"The files that were retrieved from the most recent HYDRA base, were tampered with. What I want to know, is the _who_ ,  _why_  and  _how_. Care to share?"

Ashley gave him a look of disbelief. "You think _I_  tampered with your files?" her laugh matched her stunned expression. "I hate to break it to ya, but I haven't even had access to a computer for most of my life…and HYDRA didn't exactly give me free wifi access during my stay. Even if I wanted to do something, I really don't think I'd be able to pull it off."

Fury's jaw clenched at the girl's mocking. Oh, he was sure that Stark had a field day when he met her. They were like two pieces in the same puzzle…and it was damn annoying.

"Alright then." Though he didn't sound convinced at all. "In that case we can move along to the other reason I'm here."

Ashley could guess exactly what that reason was, and she barely managed to maintain the nonchalant look on her face as annoyance flooded her.

"Given the amount of power you have, you have become a person of significant interest, Miss Conlon."

"Ok… _and?_ "

Fury looked at her for a moment, as if searching her face for something. He was considering how to approach the topic without creating any conflict. It was imperative that she didn't resist. He wasn't too keen to deal with the repercussions.

" _And_ …it's believed that, with your permission of course, we could work together-"

"No thank you."

Her sudden and blunt interruption made his brows rise in a mix of annoyance and slight surprise. He knew she would refuse at first, but he had at least expected her to listen to his offer first. It wasn't often that someone said 'no' to Nick Fury.

"Miss Conlon, I'm not sure if you understand just how much of a risk you are. The only reason you get to play house with the Avengers rather than sit in detainment, is because you've managed to help us in the past."

This time it was Ashley's brows that shot up in surprise. Was he  _threatening_  her? Did he honestly think that 'detainment' could hold her? The only reason HYDRA had been even  _remotely_  capable of locking her up, is because she refused to kill anyone. She had kept her mask in place, because she knew that as soon as it slipped, all the anger, the frustration, the  _pain_ …it would come out and even if she could have walked away unscathed, Red couldn't. And she would never have risked his life for her own.

But he wasn't there this time. If Fury took her away from the Avengers, there was nothing holding her back.

Seeing that he had clearly struck some sort of nerve, judging by the hard glare focused on him, Fury decided to go on.

"Look," he leant forward onto the small metal table, hands still clasped. "All I'm saying is that you could be a very valuable asset to us. We're not HYD-"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before she shot up from her uncomfortable metal chair, not even caring as it was launched backwards a few feet and clattered to the floor from the force of her movements. She didn't miss Natasha's hand instinctively shooting to the gun holster strapped to her thigh, nor did she miss Fury's own clasped hands moving down to his lap when her eyes flashed green. Well, it looked like his lap, but she'd bet the Tower that there was another firearm strapped to the bottom of the table, and his fingers were just itching to grab it.

_You could be a very valuable asset to us._

_Very **valuable**._

_Asset._

_**Asset.** _

_**HYDRA Asset 9.** _

"Not HYDRA? You were for a long time, and old habits die hard."

Fury's gaze hardened with the memories that arose from her words. He hated the feeling he got when he remembered just how easily HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D, not to mention how long they had been operating from right under his nose.

"Miss Conlon, we are  _not_  your enemy." His tone matched his steely eye, as if to emphasise what he was saying with surety. "All I'm asking is that you come with us for an analysis of your abilities. Nice and easy."

"I've already told you my answer. No." The final word was almost growled out through her clenched teeth. She was trying to reign in her temper, and the more he spoke the harder it became to control the flickering colour of her eyes. However, she could see that her response had only served to make him even more agitated.

"Alright, we've tried the easy way. You really don't want to try the har-"

"What the  _hell_  do you think you're doing?!"

Three sets of eyes turned towards the doorway, as a very pissed off Tony Stark entered the room. The door itself crashed against the wall with a loud bang from the strength behind his push.

Natasha inwardly sighed. This was something she had hoped to avoid, but she knew that taking Ashley away from the Tower for this meeting was out of the question. Not only did Tony have eyes on her like a damn hawk, but she had long ago noticed the attention a certain Sokovian paid the young woman. It would be difficult to go unnoticed, and she certainly didn't want to have to explain  _this_  to them - Clint always knew when she was lying, and she hated lying to him in the first place.

Not to mention, leaving the Tower would mean that the Avengers would no longer be at risk if her powers were to elevate as they had when Fury offered her a 'position' with them. Natasha wasn't naive enough to believe that Ashley was restraining herself for Fury's sake, or even hers for that matter. No, she was holding back because of the people that were milling about a few floors above them. She was protecting her friends.

"Mr. Stark, how nice of you to join us." Fury's sarcastic tone was clear for all to hear, and he barely suppressed an eye roll at the glare that the billionaire was pinning on him.

"Cut the crap, Fury. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

For the first time since Ashley had arrived, Natasha decided to speak up.

"Calm down, Tony. We were just having a meeting."

Tony's glare left the man behind the table, and zeroed in on the redhead that had moved to stand beside him. He wasn't sure if it was a display of protectiveness, or an attempt to make him seem outnumbered. Either way, her monotonous voice grated on his nerves when he remembered the reason he was there.

Like most other days, he had spent the morning in his lab, after a late wake up. It was all going pretty well until J.A.R.V.I.S was alerting him of sporadic spikes in Ashley's energy levels. The random bursts told him all he needed to know…something  _-or someone-_  was making her emotionally unstable, and therefore her power was also unstable.

He had figured out some time ago that her power seemed to be protecting her. From what she had told him, HYDRA was unable to utilise her power because they were willing to harm her in order to gain it. For some reason it was devoted to protecting her,  _shielding_  her even. Much like the tesseract had been able to form a barrier around itself, her mind had similar defences. Like a parasite, it needed a host.

He almost lost it when he asked J.A.R.V.I.S where his newest friend was, and more importantly… _who_  she was with. How dare they try this!

"Oh really? A meeting..that's what this is?" he waved a hand gesturing to the room. "Because it looks more like an interrogation." He crossed his arms over his chest, an unrelenting look on his face with the familiar tablet he carried around gripped so tightly his knuckles were white.

Ashley just watched on as Tony defended her. She had never been so grateful to see the man in her life, and just like on the quinjet, his appearance had managed to help her regain the control she had lost. After so many years of running and defending herself, it was nice to finally have someone else standing up for her. But Fury was reaching his limit.

"And so what if it was, Stark? From where I'm sitting, she's a threat that you didn't even _think_  to inform me about."

" _Ashley_  is an Avenger. If she's a threat then so am I." Tony seemed to be getting even more frustrated, and as a result, he would only become even more argumentative.

"You're damn right you are, Stark. But the world knows you, Tony…we have an  _understanding_." It didn't take a genius to understand what he was implying. He saw her as a threat.  _Only_  a threat. She wasn't someone he trusted, and she needed to be dealt with because they couldn't  _understand_  her. But surely Natasha had told him she wouldn't harm anyone…

"You treating us like your little errand boys every time someone threatens the world with global domination isn't exactly what I'd call 'an understanding'."

"This is a matter of national security. As you've already mentioned, Miss Conlon is considered an Avenger, so she answers-"

" _Miss Conlon_  is a Stark Industries employee, anything you want to discuss with her goes through me. Try again."

Fury released a frustrated and somewhat defeated sigh, knowing that there would be no changing Tony's mind.

When he 'died', Nick Fury gave himself the opportunity to finally live a somewhat peaceful life, without having to look over his shoulder every ten seconds. Why had he come back into this freak show?

Because this was his life. He didn't know anything else. He would  _never_  truly be out of this lifestyle…because he didn't  _want_  to be.

Before he could open his mouth to respond to Tony's words, the familiar AI interrupted him, gaining the attention of all in the room instantly.

" _Sir, you have an urgent call on line 3_."

"Kinda in the middle of something right now." Tony slightly tapped his foot in impatience, annoyed that he had been interrupted for a stupid phone call.

" _Sir, I really must insist-_ "

"You and me both, buddy." He rolled his eyes at the AI's response.  _Like I haven't heard that one before._

" _It seems as though the facility has been breached, sir_."

Two and a half pairs of eyes snapped to ceiling at those words, as if they could clearly see J.A.R.V.I.S just by looking up. It took Tony a little longer to process the spoken words, due to the impatience that clouded his mind.

"Yeah, well- wait… _what?_ "

"The facil-"

"Yeah, no, I heard you." He flipped the see through tablet in his hands, tapping it in concentration as his previous frustration was replaced with slight alarm. How the hell could anyone manage to breach the facility?

"Patch me through to security, J.A.R.V."

The AI did as Tony ordered, and a new and entirely unfamiliar voice filtered through the sound system, and two equally unfamiliar faces appeared on the device in Tony's hands. Ashley couldn't help but peer over Tony's shoulder at the screen, curious to know more about this breach, while Natasha and Fury marched straight out of the room determinedly. It was obvious where they would be going.

_"Is it on?"_

_"Yes, it's on!"_

_"But the light's flashing…"_

_"The light's meant to be flashing!"_

_"I don't think it is…"_

_"Out of the two of us, which one is the engineer?"_

_"You don't need to be an engineer to work a camera, Fitz!"_

"HELLO?!"

Tony's raised voice gained the attention of both the young woman, and the young man who had been arguing. Their eyes widened when they realised who they were looking at, and Ashley bit back a chuckle when she noticed the clear tinge of pink that had covered each of their cheeks.

Despite the falseness and mocking behind it, Tony shot them a bright grin.

"Hi." His tone matched his fake smile, and Ashley knew he would enjoy making the wide-eyed pair uncomfortable if he ever met them in person.

The young light-haired man simply stared at him dumbly, while the young woman blinked a few times and cleared her throat before addressing Tony, her English accent clear to them instantly.

"Oh, hello…sorry about that. I'm-I'm Jemma Simmons." She cleared her throat once more, casting a quick and expectant glance at the man beside her -who had yet to move from his statue-like state. Upon noticing that he wasn't going to do it himself, she decided to introduce him.

"This is Fitz. Leo Fitz." She aimed an elbow at his ribcage and he was immediately snapped out of whatever trance he was previously in, and awkwardly raised a hand in a small wave.

"That's great." Tony dismissed her words easily with a smile, and much like Jemma had done, Ashley nudged him with her elbow in reprimand. He practically ignored her actions and continued talking to the young woman. "You wanna tell me how my facility was broken into without anyone even notifying me?"

Jemma's eyes widened at the question, not missing the slightly miffed tone Tony had adopted. Even though she didn't technically answer to him, he was still way up there on the food chain, and she hated disappointing people. She was entirely caught off guard when she received a phone call saying the sensors had been triggered at the facility, but she knew that they would want Fitz on this one ASAP.

"Well you see…from what we gathered, there was a very small man…almost invisible to the naked eye…" So far, the explanation sounded ridiculous, and the two bewildered expressions that stared back at the scientists were enough to reassure them of this. Knowing that this was more related to his own field, Fitz decided to finally speak up after recomposing himself and nudging Jemma out of the frame.

"What she means is, there was a man with a suit that allowed him to manipulate his own size. He could shrink and then regain his usual size on command." He gave a slightly proud smile when he realised that he had managed to string a sentence together in their present company.

Tony kept his face impassive as he tried to wrap his head around what he was being told. A man had managed to  _shrink_  down to a size that allowed him to successfully break into an Avengers facility.

"Right. OK. What did he take?"

It was Fitz's turn to get pushed out of the frame, and he yelped as Jemma's face came into view. "We are currently having the inventory checked, and we'll let you know as soon we find out." She shot them a smile, and swallowed at Tony's unreadable expression, hoping that he wouldn't be against that answer.

"Alright, who exactly notified you of the breach?"

Jemma's face was once again pushed out of the frame as Fitz's excited expression took its place and his Scottish accent filled the silence.

"The Falcon was there. You know, Sam Wilson? You should have seen it, he got his arse kicked! We placed bets on it and Jemma thought Falcon would win, but I told her-"

The Scot's rambling was cut off entirely when Tony ended the video call. Ashley would have scolded him for being rude about it, but she knew that he was probably in no mood for it. Nobody was stupid enough to steal from Tony Stark…well apparently not nobody. But Ashley had no doubt that if anyone could find the culprit, it was Tony Stark.

"So…what do we do?"

Tony narrowed his eyes at the question.

"We find the bastard."

* * *

After Tony reassured her that they weren't done discussing her little interrogation, Ashley was left to her own devices. She decided that the best thing for her to do at the moment would be to get some air, and after asking J.A.R.V.I.S if Steve had gone out for his daily run, she decided that she would go out and find the super soldier.

That's exactly how she found herself wandering around central park, taking in the sunshine. It was deceiving weather…though the sun was bright and warm, the air itself was the opposite, and she had an oversized jumper wrapped around her as she walked due to the cold.

Despite her location, it wasn't as busy as usual, and she couldn't deny that she preferred it that way. While walking along the hard pathway she approached an unoccupied bench and decided to have a seat. If Steve hadn't finished his run yet, he would most likely pass her during the next lap. If he had finished and gone back to the Tower, she probably wouldn't mind too much anyway. It was good to just be in the fresh air, and she leaned back into the bench as her head hung back slightly.

As other joggers ran past her, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of how much easier it was for Steve to cover 10 times the distance they were in half the time it took them. She almost snickered when she realised that in comparison to Pietro, even Steve looked like an exhausted tortoise trying to keep up.

As quickly as the thought came into her mind, it was completely banished when her eyes noticed something on the other side of the park, standing besides a tall tree.

She stopped breathing.

Eyes widening in a mix of shock and hope.

Leaning forward until she reached the edge of the bench.

She almost leapt up in surprise when her view was completely blocked by the tight fitting black shirt that covered a wide and heaving chest belonging to none other than Captain America.

"Hey, Ash." He gasped lightly for some oxygen. "What are you doing out here?"

The question wasn't rude, as she recognised the genuine confusion and curiosity that laced his words. She never came out to the park while he ran.

But she couldn't even answer. Her neck was craning in any way it could in order to see around his giant form, desperate to see behind him. She  _needed_  to see that tree again.

Steve looked at her in concern before casting a studying glance over his shoulder. Not seeing anything noteworthy there, he softly placed a strong hand onto her shoulder, finally gaining some eye contact from the woman in front of him.

"You ok, Ash?"

When Steve turned around to check what she was looking at, Ashley's shoulders slumped when she couldn't find what she was searching for.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Just thought I saw something…don't worry about it." She gave him a genuine smile, squeezing the hand that was still on her shoulder reassuringly.

She knew that she hadn't really spoken to him in a little while. She had been mad and untrusting after finding out Natasha's motives for the HYDRA break-in, and she was ashamed to admit that she may have pinned some of the blame on Steve…even though she knew she shouldn't have.

Steve looked at her a little longer, as if searching for something. He must have found what he was looking for, because her shot her that boyish smile and nodded.

"So, what brings you to Central Park?"

She grinned at the question. "Oh you know…I heard that there have been a few Captain America sightings around this area. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

She wanted to get him into as good a mood as possible, so that when she told him the news, he wouldn't be too solemn about it. Ashley smiled when she managed to draw a laugh from him.

'Ok, I'm kidding. Actually there's something you should probably know about." She sighed when the small smile slipped from his face. She continued when he sat down beside her and nodded at her to continue.

"The facility was broken into. And get this…the guy could shrink down to a size so small that Sam could barely see him kicking his ass." Although they shouldn't have been laughing at Sam's expense, the two shared a chuckle. Steve would definitely be reminding him of that one for a while.

"Do we know who did it?" He raised a brow in question, but he knew what the answer would be before she even gave it.

Ashley shook her head negatively.

"Nah. Tony's on it, though. So it's only a matter of time." She smirked at the thought of the billionaire hunting this guy down like a rabid wolf. When he set his mind onto something, Ashley had no doubt that even the gods couldn't stop him…which she guessed was quite true when she recalled the story of Loki and the battle of Manhattan.

"Right. Well I guess we should probably head back now…unless you have something else to do…?" He trailed off questioningly.

"Nope. I'm good to go, Cap." She smiled over at him and jumped up from the bench, reaching a hand out to help him up too, even if he didn't need it.

As Steve walked ahead, she couldn't help cast her eyes back to the tree. Her brows furrowed, and she tried to reassure herself that the silhouette, the dark appearance and the all too familiar glint of a metal arm was entirely imagined. There was no way  _he_  was here. It was her mind messing with her again...

It had to be.

* * *

He had watched her ever since she stepped out of the obnoxious building that Towered higher than all others in New York.

It had taken him weeks to finally remember her. The flashes of green and the warm brown eyes that had kept him human had finally provided a single picture. It hurt him to think about it. Not physically though…

She was screaming, with a look of vulnerable fear plastered onto her pale features as her hands gripped his face. She was calling him, begging him, urging him to get up…to not succumb to whatever sedative they had given him. He watched as a dark glove-clad hand struck her face hard and she too was subjected to unconsciousness when they jabbed a needle into her neck.

It was a memory that left a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. The helplessness in her eyes, and the nerve of the bastard that had struck a woman. She  _cared_. She cared about  _him_.

But that wasn't the only memory he had of her…nor was it the only one that tortured his sleeping thoughts. It wasn't just that she cared about him. No, no… _he_  cared about  _her_.

_Training her was not a problem, but he was still a man and she was an attractive young woman. He was aware that when they were practicing his grip on her would sometimes linger longer than necessary, and that he had to constantly try harder to hide his concern when she got hurt._

_And then she had to smile at him. That soft and warm smile that could melt ice. If she hadn't done it, perhaps he wouldn't have responded as he did. But that smile had that familiar feeling forcing him to do one more thing._

_So he kissed her. And she kissed him back._

_"Damn, Red. Why didn't you tell me you were a looker?"_

_Red._  That's what she called him. Her name was Ashley…and he had finally found her.

She hadn't noticed him at all, but his eyes were glued to her form constantly as she walked through the busy streets of Manhattan and made her way to Central Park. He continued to study her when she leaned back into the bench with a small smile on her face.

How did she get there? How did she manage to leave HYDRA? That was what he really wanted to know.

He had spent months learning about the man on the bridge, so as soon as he had remembered her, he had made his way to Russia. Verkhoyansk was as cold as ever, but he had to know if she was still there. The fact that the facility was entirely abandoned made his life a whole lot easier, but he needed to know if she was still even  _alive_. There would be hell to pay if she wasn't.

He searched high and low until he came across a door frame made of the same metal that formed his left arm. Just the frame…the doors were 50 feet away after clearly being blasted from the hinges. Someone had obviously broken into the room, and upon further inspection it was clear that the table at the end of the room had been manufactured to hold a body. There was no doubt in his mind that it was where she had been kept.

The only questioned that remained was: who had broken her out of there?

It was either HYDRA (but he quickly dismissed this when he remembered that they would have simply  _opened_  the door), or the only other agency that could really contend with them…S.H.I.E.L.D. But the latter had been destroyed, he was well aware of that. So the only other people who could have done so would have been the ones they called The Avengers.

It was hitting two birds with one stone, really. Steve Rogers was an Avenger, and now those brown eyes would probably be in exactly the same place he was.

So he returned to New York. He was from there…he remembered Brooklyn. Well… _some_  of it.

He froze when he noticed her head fall forward and her eyes opened. For a moment she seemed to entirely stop functioning. He watched as she leaned forward hastily, looking at him in disbelief, but no matter how much he wanted to know…to  _remember_ …he couldn't approach her.

He was actually grateful when the familiar form of the man from the bridge stepped in her line of sight, effectively shielding him from her view. It was all the time he needed to disappear from her gaze.

He watched from a different vantage point as she brushed off the other man's concern and he found his attention splitting between the two equally. He wouldn't deny that the man beside her had possibly know him even better than she had, and he was very interested in knowing just how well.

The two ghosts from his past stood up to leave and he almost sighed when she looked back at his previous location with a dejected look on her face.

He inwardly shook his head…

He'd see her again.

Soon.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Ashley blinked at the question, but she knew that she would end up doing so even if she didn't want to. She trusted him, and he wouldn't drop it until she told him.

After she had returned with Steve, the super soldier left to go to the facility with Tony, while she tried to find Wanda. Unfortunately the younger Maximoff was nowhere to be found, but the same couldn't be said for the elder. Like she had done many times before, Ashley found herself in Pietro's room watching a rerun of The Vampire Diaries, much to the Sokovian's dismay. But hey, she had a soft spot for Klaus!

He had noticed almost instantly that even though she was there with him, she wasn't really  _there_  at all. Her mind was miles away, and whenever he said something she could only hum in answer. Surprisingly it didn't bother him too much, but he was very curious about what had so completely stolen her attention.

"I just…I thought I saw someone I once knew today."

Pietro's brows furrowed in confusion. Someone she once knew? Like a HYDRA agent? How could she have seen someone she knew, if she was in detainment for so long?

"Who?"

Ashley sighed, sitting up and propping herself against the headrest while the man laying beside her watched her curiously.

"You remember the friend I told you about a while back?"

_"He…he did something he shouldn't have done, and they took him away for it. I don't know if they killed him in the end, but they hurt him."_

He remembered the conversation. He thought that it was an important day in terms of the development of their relationship. It was a day she had shared with him something that absolutely no one knew about. She had trusted him with information about the memories that haunted her in her dreams. Though as he remembered the conversation, he couldn't help the tinge of jealousy that ate at him when he recalled how fond she was of this friend.

He didn't trust his voice at the moment, so he hummed in response.

"I could have sworn that I saw him today. He was there, when I went to find Steve…he was just watching me."

That didn't sound too good to Pietro. In fact, it bugged him so much that he entirely forgot to mentally scowl at the mention of the super soldier.

A bunch of questions flew through his mind.

Was it even possible that this friend was really there? If so, why was he there? Did he come to find Ashley? How did he escape HYDRA? Especially considering Ashley had told him that he could very well be dead.

"Are you sure, Ash? It is-"

"Impossible, yeah I know. I just…I know what I saw, I'm just not quite understanding it yet."

Pietro pulled himself up to her level, leaning on the headboard beside her. She met his gaze, and his own softened when he noticed the sadness in the usually warm brown eyes. Despite not quite wanting to do so, he tried to reassure her.

"If it was your friend, then he is here, and he will find you. So don't worry."

Ashley thought about it for a moment, and nodded with a small smile when she realised the truth in his words. Red would definitely find her if he was there, so there was no point in freaking out about it. The man was the best damn assassin she had ever met...and that's saying something!

"Thanks, hot stuff."

Pietro swallowed audibly when she leaned into his side and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Unsurprisingly his heart rate was impossible to count, but he just wrapped a thick arm around her when she rested her head on his shoulder. He knew one thing for certain, the green monster was locked up good for the rest of the night.

For now, it was all good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I was asked if Ashley had powers before the stone...yep she did. If you can remember that far back, I mentioned an initial power. The power to absorb energy is natural for her, and it was the reason Thanos 'adopted' her haha :P The ability to actually manipulate and form the energy was all on the stone though.
> 
> Also...I only watched like, the first 2 seasons of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D so I don't actually know what the heck is going on right now in that storyline...I hope that FitzSimmons part worked out?
> 
> Well done to anyone who connected the Antman dots in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it :) I'll see ya soon!
> 
> P.S The art thingy still stands, and if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to either review or PM me :) Have a Happy New Year guys!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so…before you kill me I just want to say I'm really really really sorry for the long wait. A lot has been happening and I got really distracted, but that's no excuse! So thank you for sticking with me and I hope this makes up for it a little bit? Maybe? :P
> 
> OH MY GOSH totally rookie mistake. I've been watching a lot of TVD at the moment so I accidentally called Jemma 'Jenna' I'm super sorry about that! But it has been fixed and thank you to wickedgrl123 for pointing that one out! :) If you haven't already, have a listen to the song 'Run' by Daughter…I was while I wrote this chapter and it's pretty great :P
> 
> Disclaimer: See chapter 1…
> 
> This chapter starts a little…different...and ends a little different.

Chapter 20:

He hadn't slept so well in a long time.

More often than not, his dreams were plagued with memories of his final day in Sokovia. But as his eyes fluttered open, squinting against the brightness of the morning, he couldn't help but smile. The fingers that were weaving themselves in and out of his hair faltered for a moment upon noticing his consciousness, but continued their soothing movements instantly.

His light eyes drifted to his right side, and he smiled sleepily at the warm eyes that looked back at him.

"Morning, hot stuff."

He hummed lazily in response, closing his eyes once more. She chuckled lightly and even though he couldn't see it, she propped herself up, her head resting in the palm of her left hand while her right hand continued to manoeuvre through his hair.

When he opened his eyes again, he notice just how close she was, with only a few inches between them. His eyes widened slightly at the soft look on her face, and he couldn't look away from her even if he tried.

God, she was beautiful.

He released a silent sigh, mentally berating himself for not plucking up the courage and simply telling her how he felt. Surely she must have felt  _something_  for him in return…she wouldn't be looking at him like that if she didn't.

And it was with that thought that he made his decision.

His left hand slowly rose from his side, long fingers gently wrapping around her wrist and pulling it away from his hair and to his lips. Her brown eyes followed each movement as he pressed a soft kiss to her palm, before guiding it down to his chest. His heart was pounding, and he wanted to show her just what she did to him. He wanted her to know, he _needed_  her to know…and for a moment he wondered if he could ever have the same effect on her.

He didn't have much time to think about it, though.

They couldn't look away from each other as she leaned over him, resting her left forearm on the pillow above his head, while her other hand remained over his heart. Her dark hair fell around his face like a curtain, and he gently used his free hand to hook the left side of it between his thumb and forefinger, holding it away from her face as his hand cupped the back of her head.

He was sure that she could feel his heart about to tear out of his chest, when her lips ghosted over his. He could feel them, so close…but not close enough for his liking. He felt her whole body relax into his own when he pulled her down and finally took what he had wanted for far longer than he was willing to admit.

She was so soft, and cool. Far cooler than his heightened body temperature allowed him to be. It was a perfect balance. He smiled into the kiss, relief and happiness rushing through him. For a moment he feared that perhaps she didn't want this…but her responsiveness proved him wrong. Her lips were just as unrelenting as his own, and he had never felt happier in his entire life. Not that he had many happy moments in the first place...

He released the hand on his chest when he felt a leg being thrown over his hips to straddle him. Her left hand weaved into his hair, while her right trailed down his chest, feeling each muscle tense as it slipped under the hem of his shirt.

He was surprised by the action, but took it as a good sign, allowing his own free hand to travel up and down her spine. She had pushed his shirt half way up his torso before breaking their kiss, and he groaned at the separation. He almost tore the shirt off of his back in his haste to reunite their lips, and he shuffled back to lean against headboard, pulling her forward and allowing her to straddle his lap once more.

Her hands were all over him when their lips met again, and he groaned when she quickly withdrew once more. Their eyes connected as her long fingers slowly ghosted across his chest and down his torso until they reached the waistband of his sweatpants. He could barely control his breathing when they barely slipped under, teasing him.

"Боже…"

His lips found her neck and she hummed out a moan that made him hold her even tighter. The blood had long since abandoned his brain, and settled in a new location just beneath her teasing fingertips, and it was perhaps the reason he didn't notice her become less responsive to his touches.

His brows furrowed in confusion when she went slack in his arms. It's not that she was relaxing…she had gone entirely limp. Her head rested on his shoulder, hair masking her face as he gently shook her. It was only after he received no response that he felt the warm and sticky texture of the fabric on her back.

His right arm cupped the back of her head, and his left remained on her wet back as he tipped her backwards in inspection.

The sight that welcomed him had his face painted in a variety of emotions, shock, fear, grief…

There was no stopping the startled gasp that left his lips when he took in the sight before him. Her eyes wide and glazed over with moisture, her face paled to a faint blue, and rivers of blood trailed out of each bullet wound that decorated her arms and torso.

"Ash…?"

He could barely recognise the wheezing voice that escaped him, no longer in control of his own breathing as panic came over him. His hands trailed over her in his panic, as he frantically repeated her name, over and over.

"Ash? Ashley! Look at me!"

His warm hands cupped the newly cooled skin of her face, desperately trying to control the pain in his chest when the situation finally sunk in. He cried out in anguish, clutching her unresponsive body to his chest, not caring for the blood that now coated it.

"Please…" He pressed his lips against her temple. "Please!"

His overflowing eyes were clenched shut at the sounds that followed, while the Tower morphed into a new setting. The sound of battle, the screaming, the crying, the panic.

Only when he opened his eyes again, he realised that he was no longer in his bed - or in his room for that matter. He also noticed the absence of the woman in his arms, and he sprung to his feet in alarm.

"ASHLEY!"

He didn't know where he was running to, he didn't even stop to think about the familiarity of the destroyed streets until it was too late for him to turn back. He had to find her. But when he finally came to a stop, frantically spinning in a circle to take in his surroundings, fear clutched at him again.

This was familiar.

He'd been there before…he'd been there his whole life.

Gunfire sounded in the distance, and his eyes drifted to the Sokovian sky while he remained rooted to the spot.

And it happened all over again.

Each bullet that tore into his flesh was just as painful as the first time. And the time after that, and the time after that…was this nightmare ever going to end?

He chocked on his own blood as he staggered to his knees, funnily enough, this wasn't the worst pain he had felt that night.

"Pietro…"

"Pietro!"

_"PIETRO!"_

* * *

Pietro's eyes snapped open, his breathing haggard as his pale orbs darted around the darkened room in alarm. They stopped their frenzied movements as soon as a familiar silhouette appeared before him, and he felt her hands gripping his head gently.

"Hey, it's ok…you're alright. You're safe. You're safe."

"Ashley?" His breathy voice held a tone of relief, and he couldn't help but reach out and crash her into his chest, just to make sure she was really there. She was alive.  _She_  was  _safe_.

Ashley didn't know what to make of the situation.

She had been woken from her slumber when the man beside her began thrashing about, whimpering her name and gasping as if he had run a lap around the world. She had no idea what he was dreaming about, but she was completely stunned that she had never noticed his nightmares before. She always thought that she was the only one that suffered from such things.

Either way, she didn't protest when he embraced her, hoping that she could somehow offer a semblance of comfort. She felt his hands dart around her back, as if searching for something, but she didn't dare to move. Instead she slipped her fingers between the strands of hair at the back of his neck, and smiled softly when he relaxed under her touch.

When he felt her fingers playing with his hair, much like they had in his dream, Pietro finally managed to come to terms with the fact that he had experienced another nightmare. The haze that came with panic finally cleared from his mind, and his eyes widened when he realised how they were positioned.

He had practically hauled her on top of himself, her torso was crushed against him, because his arms refused to unwrap from around her waist. Her own arms were wrapped around his neck, one hand playing with his hair while the other cradled his broad shoulders. His ear was pressed against her chest, and her chin rested on top of his head dude to the added height he had given her when he practically forced her to straddle him.

Pietro felt his cheeks get warmer. His  _head_  was on her chest.  _Her chest!_

Female attention wasn't difficult to come by in his life, not at all. He was a good looking guy, and women let him know it. But despite that, he had never had the time to really pursue anything serious. He was responsible for his sister, and more often than not, he was focused on their survival rather than frolicking about with the opposite sex.

So yes, he was allowed to be a little nervous about his current positioning. Not to mention the fact that his brain believed this was an appropriate time to remind him of the heated events that had taken place in his dream before the nightmare hit.

He could practically feel her hands touching every inch of him, and he knew he had to get his mind off of such things. Quickly.

So he reluctantly loosened his grip around her, and her hands stopped their soothing ministrations, but he inwardly grinned at the fact that her arms were still wrapped around his neck.

"You ok?"

She peered down at him, and gave him a small smile when his gaze met her own. It was still dark, but her eyes had adjusted enough to see his features somewhat clearly.

"Yes, I'm…good."

She mistook his hesitation for a lie, when in reality he was thanking whoever was listening that it was still dark in the room. However, she seemed to sense his discomfort and gently dropped her arms to move off of him. She looked to the alarm clock on the bedside table, and almost cringed at the numbers on display. 02:41am.

"It's still early, if you want to get some sleep…or if you can't, we can just-"

"No, no…it's ok. Sleep."

He was grateful that she didn't ask what the nightmare was about, and while he was sure that there would be no sleep for him, he didn't want to keep her up unnecessarily.

"Are you-"

"Yes, I am sure." He chuckled lightly, and she rolled her eyes with a small smile.

He watched as she laid back down facing him, falling asleep rather quickly. He mimicked her positioning, and despite how creepy it was, he just watched her sleep. The nightmare replayed in his mind. Watching her die was something he had never considered possible because of her power, and it was in that moment that he remembered that even with her power, she was still only human. She could still be hurt, she could still be killed.

He didn't know what to think about that.

* * *

By the time Ashley had woken up later in the morning, the bed, and entire room was void of a certain Sokovian. She couldn't help but frown, wondering where he had gotten to. But despite her curiosity, she could understand that perhaps he wanted some alone time…nightmares would do that to you.

So she dragged herself out of bed, heading out and back into her own room to prepare for the day. She could hear Tony and Steve arguing before she even entered the lounge.

Tony stood in his usual unyielding stance, with his arms crossed over yet another band shirt. He was giving Steve a smug look, and from the clenching of Steve's jaw, Ashley guessed that if he were a lesser man, he would have wiped the look straight off of Tony's face.

Fortunately, they both seemed to cool off a bit when they noticed that they were no longer alone.

"Uh, hey guys…is everything alright?" Her gaze shifted warily between the two, like a child who had just witnessed their parents fighting for the first time. And much like a parent would, Tony simply allowed a strained smile to flit over his features as he looked over to her.

"Peachy! But I  _am_  hungry, so you better get to work…what am I even paying you for?!" The volume of Tony's words rose as he brushed past her to retreat out of the kitchen with a cheeky grin on his face. Ashley shoved his shoulder lightly as he passed her, rolling her eyes with a small smile of her own.

When the billionaire was out of sight, she turned her attention to the super-soldier.

"Morning, Cap. You ok?"

Steve gave her a charming smile, but she could see the exhaustion beneath it, it was the same kind of look Gamora would give her when she was trying to reassure her that all was well…especially when it wasn't.

"Yeah, I'm getting there." He scratched lightly at his neck, more out of habit than anything else.

"What's going on?" She slid onto a barstool while he stood leaning against the bar top beside her.

Steve sighed at the quiet question.  _Too much_ , he wanted to say. His search for Bucky was leading him everywhere and nowhere at the same time, S.H.I.E.L.D was breathing down their necks about the 'new and potentially dangerous recruit', and on top of that, Fury was suspicious of said recruit when it came to certain files that appeared to be altered on their newly retrieved data.

When Steve asked Tony about it, the billionaire almost blew up. It was no secret that Tony didn't follow anyone's orders but his own, and his rocky relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D took yet another turn for the worst after his confrontation with Fury the day before.

Being the good guy that he was, Steve attempted to keep the peace, and merely suggested that perhaps Ashley would allow Tony himself to run some tests on her instead. That way, Fury could find out whatever it was that he was curious about, and Ashley wouldn't be thrown out of her comfort zone with Tony doing the tests.

What he hadn't prepared for was the tongue-lashing Tony threw his way as soon as it was suggested. The billionaire was adamant that he would never experiment on the girl he had grown so attached to, especially not for the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Tony had naturally been infuriated at the suggestion. He had already had this conversation with Ashley a long time ago, when he found out about her reluctance to trust him on such matters. He had promised her that she would never experience what she had to endure with HYDRA while he had something to say about it. Fury wasn't getting his destructive little hands on her any time soon, and Tony hated how everyone just assumed that he would be ok with the suggestion simply because he was 'Tony Stark'. They always thought so little of him.

This led to the raising of voices, and stemmed from the simple little question of: What's going on? So naturally, Steve's reply was:

"Ah nothing, Ash. You know how Tony gets sometimes…"

He could tell that she wasn't satisfied with his answer…he didn't even sound convincing to himself! But he was glad that she didn't push further, and simply nodded in understanding before her brows furrowed lightly.

"Hey, have you seen Pietro? He wasn't in his room earlier…"

Steve thought about it for a moment, remembering the young Sokovian unloading on a boxing bag far too early in the morning. It was obvious that he had wanted to be alone, and Steve had left him alone. The anger, frustration and fear was easy to see on the youngster's face while he moved his fists in two blue blurs, trying to release each emotion in a flurry of attacks.

After that, he hadn't seen him at all.

"He was in the gym earlier…but I doubt he's still down there." Steve seemed to hesitate for a moment, his mouth opening and closing indecisively. Ashley cocked a brow at his expression.

"What?"

The super-soldier cleared his throat lightly, training his eyes on the bar top to avoid looking at her. The question he had wanted to ask her was something he wouldn't have ever been able to in his youth. He had always been awkward around the ladies, and talk of relationships was something that made him blush before he finally adjusted to the 21st century.

"It's just…are you-are you, you know?"

Her face was crumpled comically in her confusion, not understanding at all what he was asking.

"Am I…what?"

Steve sighed lightly, knowing that he could no longer say 'fondue-ing', and decided to just get it over with, hoping that Ashley wasn't one of those women who bit your head off for being nosy.

"You and Pietro…are you…together?"

Ashley's face went blank at the question. No, they weren't  _together_. Why would Steve even think such a thing? Sure, they spent more time with each other than with the others, but that's only because Wanda had once again left to go to the facility, and they were the closest in age. Not to mention, they were friends.

_Only_ friends.

Did Ashley want them to be more? Perhaps. Would Ashley tell him this? No. Most importantly, would it be a good idea to even get involved with anyone after the obvious threat from Thanos? Definitely not.

But she had never really cared much for good ideas. She hadn't really spent time thinking about it before, but yes…she liked Pietro. He was the first person that she  _really_  liked. The first person in her life that made her a special kind of happy.

Sure, she had been infatuated with Red for a while, and after seeing him again (because she was sure that she  _did_  in fact see him) she wondered if that had gone away entirely or not…only time would tell. But it wasn't the same.

Red was her safety blanket. He kept her safe and was there for her when she had nothing and no one. He was handsome and dark, and reminded her so much of her old life…of the darkness and pain that one could go through. Of all that she had been taught and the sister she loved, of the father who raised her and the orders she followed. He was  _familiar_.

And that's why she liked Pietro so much. He had experienced difficult times too, enough to ensure he was no longer a naive child. But he still remained a breath of fresh air, someone who had bounced back from the hardships and came out a better person. He was protective, loyal and he made her think about the future rather than the past.

He could put a smile on her face without even trying, and made her feel safer than she had been in a long time. So yes, she realised that she did in fact like him. Something she had never even thought about, yet alone  _considered_ before. Thinking back to their interaction during the night almost made her blush, and she would admit to herself that she had enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms. It was the closest they had ever been.

"Oh! Uh, no. No, we're just good friends." She shook her head confidently, trying to reassure him that she  _didn't_  harbour any feelings for the elder Sokovian, and hoping that he bought the lie.

Steve studied her for a moment, nodding along at her words. He might not have been in the right decade, but nothing had changed when it came to boys who fancied pretty dames. He could easily see the way Pietro interacted with his newest friend.

Wanda had managed to integrate into the team fairly easy, becoming quick friends with the other 'new' Avengers…but Pietro had been a different story.

Although it was clear that he could be fun and sociable when with his twin, Steve had yet to see that side of him shine through with the others. That is, until Ashley came along. But then again, Steve supposed that she had that effect on people. Pietro had initially disliked the girl for hurting his sister, but somehow -some way- something had changed.

The Sokovian was quick, and that made it difficult to ever catch him, but Steve had on more than one occasion woken at ridiculous hours of the night and paid a visit to the hospital when he couldn't get back to sleep. He'd go to visit Ashley when she was still there, and to his surprise, he'd often see Pietro sprawled out on the padded chair beside her, sitting in peace.

He knew that something had happened in Nord that had changed Pietro's view of Ashley, and as a result, the kid finally seemed to allow his attraction for her to come forward.

Despite Steve's initial suspicions, it was only after noticing Pietro's jealousy that his assumptions were confirmed. But what had been more difficult to discern was whether his feelings were reciprocated.

Ashley was surprisingly friendly for someone who had a rough childhood, but that didn't mean that he was any closer to knowing her than he was when he first met her. To Steve, she was simply a great big mystery. He knew nothing about her past, other than what the rest of the team knew, and unless she allowed him to, he couldn't get a read off her.

But he knew for sure that she was comfortable enough with the twins to share some things with them, how much? he couldn't say…but he had a feeling that despite her early friendship with Wanda, it was Pietro who knew her best.

So he had simply asked her…and yet again, he couldn't quite figure out if she was being sincere. All he could do was assume that she would be honest, so he nodded along slowly.

Seeing his hesitant acceptance of her response, Ashley decided to change the topic of discussion.

"So, where is everyone?"

Steve's jaw tightened for a moment, before relaxing when he met her gaze.

"Clint's taking some time off, and Nat…" He trailed off with a shake of his head. The redhead was once again in the thick of things when it came to S.H.I.E.L.D and Fury, and Steve could remember the impassive look on her face when he and Tony reprimanded her in the early hours of the morning. In truth, he had no idea where she had gone, but it wouldn't have surprised him if she went back to the facility.

What did surprise him however, was the argument he and Tony had walked in on before they themselves spoke to the redhead. It was rare for Clint and Natasha to argue… _very_  rare. So seeing the heated words being exchanged had halted both Steve and Tony right in their tracks. From what they could hear, Clint also wasn't too happy with his former partner's actions - his paternal instincts kicking in.

The archer mentioned something about a discussion they had on the quinjet, and was scolding Natasha for her lack of independence when it came to Fury. He asked her when she would start doing things for herself, and Steve could see the tightness of her jaw that suggested Clint was pushing it. The one time she had tried to do something for herself, the man she decided to do it with abandoned her…not that they knew about that.

Eventually Clint had stormed out of the building, telling them that he'd be back when they needed him. Steve and Tony were left with a very agitated assassin, and looking back on it, perhaps it wasn't the best time for them to add to the pile of criticism that Clint had just dumped on his best friend.

"Nat's…"

"Also taking some time off?" She finished his sentence with an amused smile, both of them knowing that the spy's whereabouts were unknown. Steve allowed his lips to tug up into a small smile and nodded in defeat.

He couldn't bring himself to be more cheerful…once again, tensions were high between the Avengers.

* * *

Eventually, Ashley had asked the resident AI for Pietro's location, and was surprised to find that the Sokovian had spent most of the morning on the rooftop.

When she walked out of the elevator and out into the cold air, she forced back a shiver and looked for the familiar pale head. She smiled slightly when she finally spotted it, and slowly made her way over. Pietro was sitting awfully close to the edge of the building, but she supposed that if anything were to go wrong, his quick reflexes would bring him to safety.

Pietro barely moved when she came to lean against the railing beside him, his light eyes staring down at the city below. He had to blink slowly when he felt the sting of the wind drying the moisture of his eyes, while tousling his hair at the same time.

"Hey…you ok?"

He could hear the cautious tone she was using, trying to make sure he was calm. He didn't reply for a moment, feeling anger grow within him. After trying to take his mind off of his new nightmare by beating the hell out of a boxing bag, Stark had found him - he wanted to speak with him. Although he could barely tolerate the man, Pietro was all ears when he mentioned Ashley.

The billionaire had told him of Fury's interrogation, and his intentions for the woman beside him, and Pietro had almost turned right around and gone back to pounding away at the bag. After his initial anger at the former S.H.I.E.L.D director and redhead assassin had dissolved, a new one had grown and it was directed at Ashley.

Why hadn't she told him about it? She should have! She knew how bad HYDRA was, but he knew that no one had taken the time to tell her just how bad S.H.I.E.L.D had been. Sure, he was impressed by them when they evacuated Sokovia, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew that the only difference between them and HYDRA, was the side that they were on. Everything else was the same…including the need for power.

Something Ashley had plenty of.

Did she not realise how dangerous it was for her? Now that she was on Fury's radar, she'd be in even more trouble, and after the dream - _nightmare_ \- he had, he couldn't stop thinking about the risk.

Every time he thought about it all he would see was her blank, pale face.

Her limp body, bloodied and lifeless.

Her empty eyes. Eyes he adored.

How could she not tell him, when there was a risk that he might not have ever seen her again if S.H.I.E.L.D succeeded? He knew that she would have willingly left if it meant protecting her friends, and who knows what would have happened if she left the building. Natasha would have surely told Fury of her power, but she would have also told him how HYDRA managed to detain her.

Yes, she must have…why else would he wait so long to meet Ashley? They were preparing to detain her first.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Ashley had been gazing out at the city, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to answer her, but her eyes snapped back to meet his own stormy ones when he decided to speak up. She could clearly see the anger in his gaze, almost as clearly as she could hear it in his tone.

"Tell you what?"

His expression remained the same, even though she asked in genuine confusion, though his jaw did seem to tighten for a moment.

"About your meeting with Fury."

Her eyes widened a fraction in realisation. She had entirely forgotten about her conversation with the man, her mind heavily focused on the reappearance of a certain assassin.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm sorry." She shook her head slightly, thinking that would be the end of his anger, but she was in for a surprise.

"You 'forgot'? How could you forget to tell me something like that?" He snapped at her, his brows furrowing in anger as he stood up to face her.

Was he seriously mad at her for this? Ashley's own jaw clenched, not appreciating being reprimanded for something that she didn't really think was any of his business anyway. She forgot, dammit!

"Yes, I forgot! I don't know if you realised, but my mind was a little preoccupied with the magical reappearance of someone I thought was dead!" She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, glaring at him when he laughed at her almost cruelly.

_Of course_. She forgot because she was thinking about the man that she cared about more than any other! The same man that had taken her to HYDRA in the first place, the man she cared about enough for them to consider him her weakness. Pietro didn't care if she said she didn't love him, he was back and there was no telling what that meant. The thought only added fuel to the fire.

"Ah yes," he smiled mockingly as he continued. "I am sure that he is more important than whether you live or die."

Ashley narrowed her eyes at the elder Sokovian, not appreciating the way he was talking about Red. She couldn't understand Pietro's anger, but he was obviously angry enough to take it out on anyone mentioned, and right now that was Red.

"What the hell is your problem, Pietro?" He wasn't fazed when she snapped at him, and instead let his mind wander to the root of his anger. The reason he was so angry.

He didn't want to lose her.

S.H.I.E.L.D were just as bad as HYDRA and the pain he felt when he lost her in his nightmare was something he never wanted to experience. The fact that it could happen and he wouldn't even know about it…well, he was pissed about it. Then there was the other situation.

He hadn't even considered her old friend as a potential problem, and it just made him even madder to think that even if S.H.I.E.L.D left her alone, he could still lose her to this stranger.

No, he refused to lose her.

"You!  _You_  are my problem!" He had marched right in front of her, practically snarling at the woman glaring up at him, a hint of green appearing in her eyes, but he was too angry to care.

And in an instant, her face was blank, and her shoulders slackened - she didn't want to hurt him. Pietro's brows furrowed at the change, his own anger ebbing away somewhat.

"You know what? I don't have time for this. When you have a good enough reason for this, let me know."

She marched over to the elevator, hitting the button to call it up, while Pietro's face fell in sadness. He hadn't meant to be so harsh, but she didn't understand it from his perspective, did she?

Well if she wanted a reason, he'd give her one.

When Ashley felt the familiar hand grip her shoulder as it had many times before, when they were less than friendly with each other, she curled her fist up ready to retaliate. What she hadn't been prepared for when she was swiftly turned around, was the lips that had attached themselves to her own.

She froze completely, her eyes wide open to ensure that this was Pietro. Pietro was kissing her.  _Pietro_. She could feel the whirlwind of emotions flowing off of him for that brief moment, and just as she closed her eyes and began relaxing, he was gone, the elevator was gone, and the only thing touching her lips was the cool breeze.

What the hell had just happened?

* * *

Ashley found herself in need of some air by the end of the day. Pietro was MIA, and she wouldn't look for him unless he wanted to be found. He was probably just as confused as she was.

So she had decided to leave the Tower and have a little stroll through the neighbourhood…at 11 o'clock at night. It wasn't her best idea, but it's not like anything could really harm her in the first place.

So she had walked around, admiring the sights and sounds of New York, and exploring the city that never sleeps. It was truly difficult to believe that so much had changed for her in such a short amount of time. She had been born in Xandar, adopted by Thanos, taught by Gamora, abandoned by her family, taken by HYDRA, trained by Red, found by the Avengers and threatened by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Needless to say, she had experienced quite a lot in her young life, and she assumed that it would only get worse as she went along. Especially considering the warning that she had been given by her 'father'. But she wouldn't let those thoughts taint her night…she wanted to enjoy the peaceful chaos around her.

Eventually hunger kicked in and she helped herself to some pizza at a cozy little cafe/restaurant that was open at all hours. Unfortunately it was after that, when her night seemed to hit a low point.

Ashley was about to pass the stereotypical alleyway in which almost every damsel in distress meets her hero, dumpster and all, when she noticed the large form staggering towards her.

"Hey, doll! Why don' you come on over here."

She rolled her eyes at the slurred words, continuing her walk without paying him much mind. If he knew what was good for him, he'd leave her alone. But instead he just stumbled in front of her, blocking her path.

"Back off." She narrowed her eyes while he unashamedly leered at her.

"Come on, sweetheart…help a guy out."

"I said,  _back off_." She shot him a glare, and inwardly smirked when he flinched at the green swimming in her eyes. Realising that he had seemed frozen to his spot, she sidestepped him and moved to continue her journey back to the Tower.

She had truly believed he would take her warning seriously after that, but it seemed as if the alcohol had clearly taken its toll on the idiot. His rough hand latched onto her arm, quickly throwing her into the alleyway. She stumbled forward, bracing herself against the wall so that her head wouldn't collide with the bricks.

Ashley grit her teeth in anger. How dare he even think about laying a hand on her! She snapped around to face him, only to watch as his head was violently bashed into the opposite wall before his body was swiftly picked up and thrown into the open dumpster with a 'thump'.

She couldn't see her 'saviour' in the dim alleyway, and even though she was certain that she could have easily dealt with the man, she was grateful that a stranger would be willing to help out a 'damsel in distress'.

He was facing away from her, stood in-between herself and the dumpster, his shoulders rising in what she could only assume as either exertion from lifting the heavy man, or anger.

When he finally turned to face her, she realised that it was the latter.

"Oh my…"

Her hand shot up to her gaping mouth in shock, as her eyes took in every inch of him. His dark hair, stubbled jaw, handsome features…and the recognition in his gaze when she gave her breathy response.

"Red?"

* * *

**Ok, so I don't know where that came from...but oh well.**

**Also, I don't think it's actually Russian that's used as the language in Sokovia, because I noticed that there were some letters of the Serbian cyrillic alphabet on the signs in the movie, as well as some of the police shouting Serbian words...researching that was a bitch, but I want to be as accurate as possible. So I've used Serbian instead of Russian (even though they're pretty similar :P). If that's wrong, please let me know!**

**This was probably kinda boring, but I just wanted to get back into writing it again. But at least we're getting somewhere now :P Please let me know what you think!**

**See ya soon!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the continued support this story get! I hope you enjoy this chapter :) 
> 
> If you see any mistakes, I did write this at 2am so I'm super sorry. Point them out and I'll fix them ASAP :)
> 
> Disclaimer: See chapter 1...

 

Chapter 21:

Idiot.

He was an idiot.

What was he even thinking? Well that was the problem, wasn't it? He wasn't thinking.

He just acted, and then the thought of consequences finally kicked in, and he ran for the hills. He had left her there alone and confused, because he was a coward that refused to answer for his actions. But he couldn't tell what occupied his mind more…the fact that he had run away, or the fact that she didn't even respond to his kiss.

In the end, he had figured that it was the reason for his great escape. Sure, it probably wasn't the best of times to plant one on her, but he had at least hoped that she would somewhat reciprocate. Turns out, he was wrong. Maybe he had read the signs wrong? Maybe she wasn't as interested in him as he originally believed…maybe she had walked away on the aircraft because he was genuinely annoying her, not because she was flustered.

But then he remembered the morning, and how he had woken from his nightmare. She could have been trying to comfort him, but there were other -more platonic- ways to do so. No, she had to feel  _something_ for him. He just needed to confirm that.

And there was only one way to do that…

He needed to find her.

* * *

"Red?"

The anger faded from his expression, recognition taking its place. He had been following her whenever she left the Tower, and to finally have those familiar brown eyes staring at him widely…he didn't know what to do. He had seen the drunkard man-handle her, and he reacted on instinct. But despite the friendly and somewhat intimate memories he had of her, he didn't know what to expect from her.

She knew him as the Winter Soldier…is that the version of him she expected to find? Because in all honesty, he had no idea who he was anymore. His thoughts were constantly conflicted, sometimes he didn't know whether to listen to the little angel or the little devil on his shoulder.

_James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky._

That was his name. He had seen it at the exhibit, and he had seen it in the countless documents he had come across in his research. But what had really reassured him of this fact, was the memories.

Yes, had started to remember further back. He remembered Steve -the man on the bridge…his best friend- more than anything or anyone, from those days. Though the more recent memories were far easier to retain, he still remembered flashes of his life before HYDRA. The US Army, fighting off bullies, dancing…

He had them all written down. That way they could never be taken from him again.

And then there was  _'Red'_.

The helicopter, the flashes of green, the books, the training, the jokes…the kiss. He didn't know what to do. Was he Bucky, The Winter Soldier, or Red? He wasn't quite any of them, yet he was all of them at the same time. Would that be good enough?

It had been a long time since he had a  _good_  look at her. The last time he had seen her, she had barely been an adult -only 18- but now he could see the maturity in her features. She had filled out into an attractive young woman. He had watched over her for so long, and now she was right in front of him, staring at him as if he was the answer to all of her prayers. He wasn't used to disappointing anyone, not in his line of work, so he felt some foreign feeling inside him…something that felt like relief, when he saw how glad she was to see him.

But the feeling evaporated as quick as it settled after seeing the moisture building in her eyes. Was she upset? His brows furrowed in confusion, as her lips parted in a strangled gasp. He stiffened when she launched herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around his torso and her head pushing into his left shoulder, though it felt more like his chest than his metallic shoulder.

Physical contact remained foreign to him…he assumed that combat didn't count. But gentle moments like this, hugging, even a simple pat on the back, anything that was deemed unnecessary to HYDRA…he couldn't remember the last time anyone had hugged him, and not because they had taken his memories, merely because it had been so long.

Ashley wasn't expecting him to hug her back, she knew that he was a trained killer that didn't do hugging, so she was even more surprised when he hesitantly raised his arms to her back. One arm was rested around her shoulders -his left arm, judging by its coolness- while the fingers of his right hand were splayed across the small of her back.

The longer she clung to him, the more comfortable he felt. He hadn't expected that, in fact, he expected the opposite to occur. Surely you could only hug someone for so long, until it became uncomfortable for both parties. But strangely enough, something inside him told him to hold onto her, as he peacefully clamped his eyes shut with a silent sigh. He didn't know if it was because the last memory he had of her included her being dragged away from him, frantically screaming  _for_   _him_  -something that still set him on edge to think about. Or, if it was because his mind and body sought the familiar presence it had been searching for ever since he remembered her after escaping HYDRA's clutches.

Either way, it didn't matter. He wasn't going back to them, and they'd never take her away from him again. He'd make sure of it.

Ashley felt his grip tighten around her, but she didn't mind the discomfort of his arms digging into her, her mind was far too preoccupied for that.

It had been years…she hadn't seen him in  _years_. She didn't know what his fate had been. Whether he was dead or alive was something that crossed her mind whenever HYDRA allowed her to be conscious, but she assumed the worst. He was a man that had experienced the worst of life, and to finally see him there… _free_. It was incredible.

He felt her shift around, her back pressing his arms back until she could look at his face. It was those eyes, the ones he had seen over and over again in his mind, yet had never been able to place until recently. They'd always flash in his dreams, sometimes the warm brown that was currently taking in his every feature, and sometimes a startling green. But it was always the same eyes. His eyebrows twitched down for a moment when he felt soft fingers tracing his face, but his arms remained around her protectively.

Ashley's fingertips trailed across his forehead, down the side of his prickly cheek, and across his chin, coming back up to cup his cheek. Red looked just as she remembered, maybe a bit more rough around the edges though. He had stood frozen, his eyes being the only part of him that moved as they took in her features. It's like she couldn't believe he was there, and had to physically make sure of it.

"Red…"

Again, his brows furrowed slightly, watching her blink rapidly to rid herself of whatever moisture had built up. It was strange to see someone care for him so much, the only other person he could remember doing so in recent years was their mutual friend…Steve. It felt good knowing that someone in the world saw him as something  _more_. More than a weapon, more than an asset, more than a slave.

_Human._

A living, breathing human. An  _equal_. It was a foreign feeling.

Despite being superior in all forms of combat and tactical training, HYDRA had considered him little more than an obedient dog…if even that. He had his rules, and he followed them without question. That's how he was trained to behave, and that's exactly what he did. If there was any sign of resistance, they'd punish him. Eventually all he could associate with rebellion was pain, it was enough to deter him.

"I thought…I didn't know- I thought you were dead. I-I thought they killed you, Red." Her voice was thick with emotion, matching her glazed eyes.

"I remember." His voice was rough from its lack of use, though she assumed that he didn't have many people to talk to. But she was glad to hear it once more after so long. It was only then that she fully registered what he had said.

He watched her eyes widen a fraction, waiting patiently for him to continue. He cleared his throat quietly, casting his eyes down for a moment like a child would after bashfully informing his parents of some irrelevant achievement. It was probably a stupid thing to have even mentioned, but he felt as if she deserved to know.

Ashley's brows furrowed at his behaviour. He looked somewhat ashamed that he had forgotten, or embarrassed for not being able to remember in the first place. Either way, he shouldn't have been feeling such a thing. With the hand that was still resting on his stubbled cheek, she tilted his head up to meet his pale eyes.

"Tell me…anything, everything." She gave him a small smile, and could see his tense shoulders slacken slightly at her support. "You finally have that name for me?"

She knew from his file that he did, but she would prefer to hear it from the man himself. Seeing him remember his life would be something special.

The question triggered one of his first memories of her.

_"_ _Wait a minute, aren't you even going to give me your name…or am I supposed to just call you 'Red' all the time?" She had taken a light tone, not realising that he actually had no name to give her except for the one HYDRA had given him. Should he tell her that? Or should he just leave and let her think whatever she wanted of him?_ _**Gain her trust.** _

_"_ _You can call me 'Red'."_

His eyes widened the slightest bit, as if realising that he did in fact have what she had asked for. He nodded twice, slowly, and she was glad to hear his voice again.

"James. James Buchanan Barnes…they-they called me Bucky." A wide smile tugged at her lips at the revelation, and he allowed his own to tug up slightly in return.

" _Bucky_." She tested the name out, jokingly squinting her eyes in contemplation. "I like that. It suits you."

His face felt a little warmer than usual, and she almost chuckled at his awkward expression. He wasn't used to compliments, she understood that it would take a while for him to get reacquainted with her teasing nature. 'Red' had eventually come to terms with it, staring at her blankly at first, and eventually upgrading to giving her an impatient eye roll when he got to know her a little better. But the man in front of her…

He wasn't the same man she had known over 3 years ago. He was evidently still getting used to socialising and the world outside of HYDRA, but she could tell that he had obviously been out of cryostasis for far longer than when she had known him. There was something more… _human_  about him. It was like he knew  _when_  to feel, but not quite  _what_  to feel yet. The emotions were there, he just didn't know what to do with them.

But then again, he was always nicer to her than he was to others…so she couldn't quite tell what he'd be like around others just yet. But she'd find out real soon.

"Ash!"

Ashley's head snapped around at the familiar accent of the voice calling her name, wondering how Pietro had even managed to find her in the first place. She saw the broad form of the Sokovian jogging its way over to her (at a normal pace, she assumed it was to avoid unnecessary attention), and her eyes widened slightly when she remembered the other man in her presence, and the lack of his arms around her.

She hastily turned to address Bucky, but frowned when she saw no trace of the man. Her eyes darted around the alleyway, searching for any sign of him frantically. She hadn't even realised that Pietro was talking to her before a pale hand was waved in front of her frantic eyes. She cursed herself for standing so close to the entrance of the alleyway in the first place…how could he _not_ see her?

"Ashley? What is it? What are you looking at?"

With a deep sigh, she snapped out of her search and forced a smile for the Sokovian's benefit. She normally wouldn't mind spending all of her time with him, but she didn't want to lose Re- _Bucky_  again…she had only just got him back. The quicker she got rid of Pietro, the quicker she could look for the assassin. Then she could talk to the younger man.

"Pietro, hi…now's-" She didn't have the chance to finish, as the man in question interrupted her.

"Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!"

And it was true. The citizens of New York were probably used to the blue blur that had shot through every nook and cranny of the city in search of her. He practically did laps of the city until he found her!

"Look, I can't-" He waved her off dismissively, wanting to get to the point. He needed to know that she felt the same as he did.

"It doesn't matter, I need to talk to you. About what happened on the roof…"

He took a deep breath, watching her reaction to his words. But what he had seen was not what he had expected. She seemed completely distracted, not even bothering to look at him, while her neck craned in all sorts of directions in search of something. What was she doing? Was she even listening to a word he was saying?

"Ashley, are you lis-" This time it was her turn to cut in, impatience flooding her words.

"Pietro! I can't do this right now, ok? I…I  _have_  to go."

With that said, she quickly strode farther into the dark alleyway, barely illuminated by the faded bulb that sat on the wall beside a rusty door. He was there, she knew he was. She could feel it. His energy. Like Steve, he had more of it than others, but neither of them had as much as Pietro. It made it easier to distinguish who was who.

Pietro stood on the sidewalk, dumbfounded. He had assumed that she would want to discuss what had happened, though her mind was elsewhere it seemed. But he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He  _needed_ to know, and there was no way out of it for her.

With a hardened resolve, he flashed after her into the alleyway. She had slowed her power-walk and was looking around the dim area with squinted eyes that he couldn't see, because her back was facing him.

Ashley felt the strong hand grip her forearm gently, and prepared to give the Sokovian the verbal beating of his life…but she never got the chance.

Pietro lightly took hold of her arm, but flinched back in surprise when it was snatched away from him before he could even blink. Ashley's body was jerked back, staggering into a hard chest as a strong cybernetic arm wrapped tightly around her waist, pinning her to his side. Bucky stared at Pietro with a blank glare and tightening jaw, the Sokovian's expression darkened after finally realising what had happened. His pale eyes narrowed on the shining arm that he'd have no chance of ripping Ashley out of, no matter how fast he moved.

Bucky's grip on her only seemed to tighten after seeing the look on the younger man's face, the fingers of his right hand hovering over the gun strapped to his leg. He had watched the encounter from the shadows, and initially deemed the younger man 'not a threat'. That changed as soon as he witnessed him move at a pace that was nowhere near ordinary. He was enhanced. So the moment he laid a hand on her, Bucky had jumped into action…he'd killed for a lot less. Though judging by their interaction, the two were acquaintances, and she probably wouldn't appreciate watching her friend die. So he'd settle for a silent warning…for now.

Ashley finally realised the tension of the situation. There would be no way of moving the assassin in this state. She had seen it before. He was on alert, and the protective instincts that he had for her in HYDRA had apparently kicked in, and nothing would dissuade him from doing what years of training had deemed necessary. The only way to diffuse the situation, would be to ensure that he knew Pietro meant no harm. Despite the Sokovian's speed, she knew that her old friend could probably kill him. Red had a knack for knowing how to take down anyone and everyone. Including herself, if it were necessary.

So she merely raised a hand to the back of his head, gently guiding it as far down as he would allow. Bucky's gaze left the Sokovian's form and flickered over her face -now level with his own- looking for any kind of harm. When he was satisfied by her warm smile, he gave her a questioning look, though his stiff posture still remained in tact. He wouldn't be letting his guard down until there was no threat present…and even then, he'd still be on alert.

"Это нормально, это мой друг." (It's alright, he's a friend.)

Pietro's jaw clenched at the scene, jealousy rearing its ugly head yet again. Watching Ashley weave her fingers through another man's hair, while whispering gently into his ear, wasn't something he ever wanted to see again. Not to mention the fact that he knew just  _who_ this man was, and couldn't help but wonder how she had become so familiar with  _The Winter Soldier,_ of all people. He was a psychotic murderer…he belonged in a prison, not on the streets with Ashley in his arms. It make him sick to his stomach to even think about, yet alone see happen right in front of him.

Bucky closed his eyes as her fingers worked through his hair, breathing deeply through his nose in an attempt to calm himself down somewhat. When he reopened them they locked onto the Sokovian once more, slightly less hostile, but he refused to remove the arm around her. He didn't like the way the man was looking at her.

"Uh…Pietro, this is my friend, Red. The one I told you about." She looked at the glaring assassin fondly, intentionally choosing to avoid his real name, and Pietro did well to show no outward signs of the inner turmoil he was struggling with.

_This_  was 'Red'? The Winter Soldier, the ghost that had killed without hesitation and had never been captured. Even the Cap couldn't defeat the man.

This was the man she had developed feelings for? The man that had captured her and taken her to HYDRA in the first place? He shouldn't have been so surprised. Who else would have truly been able to detain her?

But that wasn't the point! Did she not realise how ridiculously dangerous the arms of her current and past captor were? He could probably kill her without second thought. He could take her back to HYDRA, or whatever was left of it. What was she thinking? And more importantly, why hadn't she mention the man's  _real_  identity to anyone?

Did she even know that this was the man Steve had been looking for all these months? Did she know what he was capable of? He honestly couldn't believe this.

"Red, this is Pietro. He's a friend…an Avenger."

Bucky hardly showed any signs of having heard her, but the quiet whirring of his arm that signalled his preparation for a fight told her that she probably should have left that last part out. She was just trying to reassure him that Pietro was a good guy - most people associated the title of 'Avenger' with good things…apparently that wasn't the case for Bucky.

She slowly rested her hand over his own cybernetic one that held her waist, in a final attempt to diffuse the tension. Judging by the stare-off that was still taking place, it hadn't worked. At all.

She sighed in exasperation, turning to give Pietro a pleading look as she addressed him next. Trying to move Bucky would be like trying to move a mountain, she knew she'd have better luck with the Sokovian.

"Ok, Pietro do you mind giving us a moment? It's just been so long, and we have so much to discuss."

The Sokovian finally let his eyes trail back to the woman he adored with an stunned look on his face, that soon morphed to hurt. She was dismissing him…he had come there to tell her how he felt, and she didn't care for it. Apparently some conversations were more important than others.

As quick as it came, the expression that sent a pang through her was replaced with a terrifying indifference. He clenched his jaw for a moment, pushing his feelings aside and giving her a nod.

"Of course."

Without even waiting for the apologetic expression he knew she was about to send his way, Pietro took off in his usual blur. The shock, hurt and betrayal long forgotten. No he was past that. He was angry.

If she was too naive to realise the danger she was in, then he'd have to take action himself. He'd tell himself later that what he was about to do was for her own good, that it was to keep her safe. But he didn't know how entirely true that was. It would be a lie to say that there wasn't a small part of him that was doing this to get the other man out of her life.

He was angry, and when he was angry, he was impulsive. So he'd do it regardless.

* * *

"Gentlemen, please have a seat."

The men did as told, sharing a curious look as they did so.  _Linda O'Brien_. The woman before them was a stern middle-aged one, impeccable business attire, a tight auburn bun atop her head without a single strand out of place, and lines around her mouth that suggested she pursed her lips quite often (as she was doing in that moment, while studying them through the glasses perched on her nose).

Tony and Steve had been summoned to a relatively secret location for a meeting, like two boys to the principal's office. The woman before them was someone neither of them had met before, but she was apparently a replacement representative for S.H.I.E.L.D. The man that was meant to be meeting them was preoccupied, but the meeting was apparently too important to postpone.

"Ma'am, if I may…what is this about?"

The woman's red-painted lips stretched into a falsely polite smile, barely being able to suppress an eye roll at the goody-two-shoes behaviour. She had no patience for Avengers. They were practically vigilantes, but the world loved them too much to care about right and wrong.

"Of course, I think it's best if we get straight to the point. S.H.I.E.L.D has a list known as 'The Index', this list represents individuals with certain... _abilities_. " With that said, she flipped open the manilla folder that was resting on the plain metal table that they sat at. She removed a single page from the folder, placing it on the table before using her fingers to turn it to face Steve, and sliding it in his direction.

Tony had been relatively silent compared to usual, but he knew that there was something wrong. An urgent meeting called by S.H.I.E.L.D merely days after his little spat with Fury? There was definitely something off about the situation. Especially considering that only he and Steve were asked to participate in the meeting, at a secret location no less.

He tilted his head to the side, watching the disapproval coat the Cap's face as he read through the text. Steve's gaze remained trained to the same spot, his face a picture of concern as he stared at the tabletop, when he held the paper out to Tony beside him. The billionaire didn't know what to make of the situation. Steve was probably the most serious out of them all, but he was rarely this worried.

He almost grimaced when he reluctantly took the paper from the super-soldier. What? he didn't like being handed things!

When he read through it, he  _did_  grimace.

**Subject File #709:** **_ Viridian _ **

**Name:** _Conlon, Ashley. No known aliases._

**Age:** _22 years._

**DOB:** _Unknown._

**Place of Birth:** _Unknown._

**Family:**   _Unknown._

**Abilities:** _Subject possess questionable control of powers pertaining to extreme energy manipulation; skilled in combat. Whether subject is enhanced or gifted is unknown at present._

**Threat assessment:** _Assumed former captive of HYDRA, loyalty to the faction is currently unknown, though the subject has neither directly confirmed nor denied questions of cooperation. Cooperation with S.H.I.E.L.D has been directly denied, Lack of loyalty to the organisation, as well as erratic problems with control identifies subject as an extreme threat to S.H.I.E.L.D, and potentially, the world._

" _Viridian_?" The billionaire cocked a disbelieving brow at the stern woman.

"It means green." Was the bored drawl that responded.

Tony smiled sarcastically. As if he didn't know that. "You don't say."

His smile evaporated quite quickly, while he placed the page back onto the table. He knew that it would all go downhill as soon as S.H.I.E.L.D caught wind of Ashley's powers, and he cursed the redhead assassin, because he  _knew_  that she was the one to provide the information on the page.

"What is this?" It was the Captain that had spoken, irritation in his tone, and the woman looked far too glad that he had asked.

" _That_ , is the prequel to…" Without looking, she removed yet another sheet form the folder. "This."

She placed the piece of paper down in front of her, and no matter how hard she tried to hide it, Tony could still see the barely there smirk on her face.

"Uh-huh. And what's that?"

" _This_ , Mr. Stark, is a warrant for the detainment of one, Ashley Conlon."

Steve's eyes widened, and Tony's upper lip twitched at her words. What an outrageous thing to even consider.

"Not sure if you got the memo…but Miss Conlon is a Stark employee-"

"Quite frankly, Mr Stark…S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't care if she's the damn President. She has shown no loyalty to the organisation and therefore, her powers are a risk to-"

"To who? To me? You? The world?" Tony stood from his seat, palms spread to lean against the table, and she had to lean back from his looming form. "Listen, and listen good, lady. The only time that girl will ever be a threat, is the day S.H.I.E.L.D backs her into a corner. And when that happens, you're gonna wish you never met her at all."

Steve closed his eyes with a shake of his head, listening as Tony pushed off the desk and stormed out of the room, slamming the door on his way. He understood completely, but Tony shouldn't have mentioned anything about Ashley being a threat to them at all…backed into a corner or not. It would only solidify their view on her.

" _Well_ …nice meeting you, Captain. I trust we'll be seeing each other again...quite soon in fact." She gave Steve a knowing look that had his brows furrowing in question, before she too stood and left the room.

He didn't know what she had meant, but it didn't matter in the moment. He had to warn Ashley. The last time he had checked, she wasn't at the Tower all night, or morning. He had to make sure it stayed that way.

If she came back, they'd detain her. And there was no telling what she'd do to them if that happened.

* * *

Tony stormed out of the elevator, jaw still clenched. It had been for the entire ride home. He was sure that nothing would be able to make this day any worse.

"Stark!"

_Never mind_. Evidently Thor's people were screwing with him today.

Sighing heavily through his nose, he continued over towards the bar, pouring a generous amount of scotch before allowing himself to turn around. He'd need it if he was going to survive the next conversation.

"Maximoff. What can I do for you?" As usual, he would hide his true anger behind his snarky personality.

The Sokovian looked as pissed off as Tony himself, something that the billionaire didn't fail to note, and hoped wasn't directed at him. The kid was whiny when he was mad…kinda like Tony himself.

"I need your help." It hurt to even ask the billionaire for such a thing, but his pride could take a hit if it meant carrying out his personal mission.

Tony almost choked on his drink. Had he heard him right? Was Pietro actually asking  _him_  for help? This day was getting more and more ridiculous as it progressed. He cocked a brow at the youngster, asking his silent question.

"The man that Steve looks for, his friend?"

"Bucky?" Supplied Tony. Pietro nodded, determination practically pouring off of him.

"I need you to help me catch him."

Tony looked at him with narrowed eyes, wondering what had suddenly brought this up. He knew that Steve had been looking for Bucky Barnes -The Winter Soldier- since before the twins even joined the team, and it hadn't really bothered him much. So why did it all of a sudden bother the Sokovian kid?

"Why?"

Pietro had reluctantly launched into an explanation, telling the billionaire about Ashley's connection to the man, and her unflinching loyalty to him. He told him how serious the situation was, and the danger she was putting herself in, but Tony's mind had other things floating through it.

_"She has shown no loyalty to the organisation…"_

O'Brien had said that Ashley hadn't shown any loyalty to them. Did that mean that they would leave her be if she somehow managed to help S.H.I.E.L.D? Because from what Tony had heard, there was a man on the organisation's 'most wanted' list roaming around New York with the girl.

If Ashley brought The Winter Solider in, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that they would have no choice but to leave her alone. Hell, he could just bring the man in himself and bargain for her freedom. He was a risk to society anyway. Sure, maybe Steve and Ashley (if Pietro was correct about how friendly she was with the assassin) would be a little angry at first, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

"Alright, Sonic. You gotta deal."

* * *

_" **Bzzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzz** -pick up!" _Ashley almost laughed.

She had heard her phone vibrating, and obviously the caller was getting more than a little impatient when she finally did pick up.

"Hello?"

_"Ashley!"_

"Steve? What's going on?"

_"Look, Ashley…you gotta listen to me."_

Ashley glanced at Bucky, who's face was marred by a frown as soon as he heard the panic in the familiar voice on loudspeaker.

He had taken Ashley to the vacant apartment he had been staying in, but she had insisted on buying them something to eat first. The whole thing was bare (except for his backpack and a sleeping bag he had managed to… _acquire_ , and now 3 pizza boxes -he had forgotten how much he liked pizza) and hardly comfortable, but he needed something that wouldn't draw attention, and he had been in far worse conditions.

She had spent the whole morning telling him about everything that had happened after they were separated, and he wouldn't deny that he was glad to have some company. He had been alone for a long time, and even though that was preferable to HYDRA, he liked having her there. It gave him new memories of her, new memories to write down, and it was pleasing to see that she hadn't changed much from the woman in the previous pages.

"Alright, I'm listening."

She heard the tired sigh coming from the speaker.  _"Ash, it's not looking good. Tony and I were called in for a meeting this morning…S.H.I.E.L.D has a warrant for your 'detainment'. They think you're a threat…"_

Ashley heard a loud crunching, and turn her gaze to the man beside her. He had visibly darkened, the empty glass of water that he had gotten for himself was sporting an irreparable crack, and she was surprised he hadn't shattered it entirely.

"Alright, what do I do?"

_"I need you to stay hidden. You can't come back to the Tower, they'll be looking for you. Can you do that?"_  He sounded concerned, not wanting to leave her alone and on the run, no matter how well she could protect herself.

With his last question, Ashley met Bucky's icy gaze. Understanding the situation, he gave her a confident nod. She couldn't hold back the small smirk.

"Yeah, Steve…I can do that."

* * *

**Ok, so...yes? no? I know that it was a bit harsh on Pietro in there, but I feel like realistically the thing that would take priority is finding Red. But fret not! Things will always get worse before they get better :P So we have 2 fugitives on the run.**

**THE IMPORTANT PART IS...next chapter is the beginning of Civil War...once I see it.**

**I put the Russian translation next to the thingy because I hate having to scroll down to see it and then lose my place (I also don't know Russian, so if there are any awesome Russians reading this, feel free to correct me!). Anyway, I'm rambling. Thank you! Goodnight, or morning?**

**Let me know what you think, and I'll see ya soon! :)**

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So this is really more of a filler, but I just had to put it up because I've already seen Civil War twice, and I loved it! There aren't really any spoilers in this, only a few little bits if you're worried.
> 
> It's also good to see that this story is making you all as conflicted as Civil War made me! IT WAS AMAZING THOUGH! Let me know what you think as soon as you see it! I need people to geek out with haha and I'm actually really curious...what are you liking more, Bucky/Ash or Pietro/Ash?
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this! 
> 
> Disclaimer: see chapter 1...

** Chapter 22:  
**

**_2 weeks later…_ **

Ashley had only ever been to Europe once in her life, but it wasn't a very pleasant experience. The same couldn't be said for this time around.

Despite having been on the run all those years ago, she wasn't so sure that she would have really made it this far, both literally and figuratively, without Bucky. He was insanely good at avoiding detection, and it was a skill that had served him very well over his long life. A skill that he had been teaching her for the past two weeks.

It was also what gave her the confidence to venture out into the marketplace of the foreign town they were currently staying in, without his supervision.

Otopeni was a small town in Romania, just north of their intended destination, Bucharest. While Bucky was fluent in various languages -Romanian included- he was also currently sprawled out on the queen-sized mattress they shared, so he wouldn't be there to translate this time. Instead, Ashley had settled for pointing out various foods and ingredients, accepting them with a grateful smile, and paying with the money that the former assassin had given her.

If there was one thing he had been grateful for teaching her, it was numbers. As long as she knew how to deal with the limited money that they had, all would be well. In his opinion, the less she interacted with the locals, the better chance she would have of going undetected. And that was critical…for _both_  of them.

So as the elderly lady, with the kind but tired face asked her what she wanted, Ashley had simply gestured to the carton of eggs by her side, and handed over the money in her hand.

It was still early, and after being woken up by yet another memory of her 'father's' sessions, she had decided to leave Bucky to sleep (grateful that his own memories hadn't woken him up too) and ventured out to find something for breakfast. One of the things she had realised within the first few days of travelling with the man, was that he barely ate as he should.

He either only ate once a day, or he only ate those gross protein bars that she had almost barfed back up after trying. So she had made it her mission to get three good meals in him each day, and even though he had to take it slow with increasing his portions, he was looking a lot healthier than before.

Another thing she had realised, was that he too suffered from nightmares, and if she had to guess, she'd say that his were definitely far worse than hers could ever be. One night he had lashed out in his sleep, shouting out in pain, his body jerking in all sorts of directions, as if someone had taken a live wire to him.

And she knew exactly what he was remembering…she had seen it.

So she had tried to soothe him, running fingers through his hair -something that always seemed to work on him- or whispering words of comfort. More often than not, it would work, and eventually she had just taken up residence in his bed. It made it far easier for him, if he had her to latch onto -literally and figuratively- and it eased his worries for her safety if he knew she was right beside him.

It was times like those that she envied Wanda for her powers. She would have loved to be able to put his mind at ease sometimes, but all she could settle for was draining him of energy until he stopped thrashing about. It wasn't ideal, but it gave her the opportunity to get closer to comfort him, and it kept him from hurting himself. Thankfully, he had gotten a little better over the past fortnight, and she had left him to sleep when she realised how peaceful he was in the morning.

Today's menu began with omelettes, so here she was, buying a pack of eggs, some spinach, tomatoes and cheese. Not only did it give them something to eat, but it also helped her work on her cooking skills. She had cooked for herself before her HYDRA days, but she hadn't done so in 3 years, so it was nice to get back into it.

She couldn't deny that she really liked seeing the world like this, even if she was technically on the run. The day Steve had called her, was the day that Bucky had packed his bags and hauled her out of the country. The airport would have been far too obvious had they waited any longer, but because the organisation after them believed that Ashley hadn't yet been notified of the warrant for her detainment, they had been able to leave New York within the hour.

The plane that Bucky had chosen had led them to Budapest, Hungary, and from there they had made their way east into Romania. He had insisted that it would be easier to avoid being found in the eastern parts of Europe, and so far, it had been going pretty well for them.

Every 5 days, Ashley would ask Bucky to get her an untraceable phone, which he'd dispose of as soon as she was done with her phone call. It had been an agreement between her and Steve. She'd call him every 5 days to check in, letting him know that she was alive and well, and he'd let her know how things were going back home.

Of course, there were things that they avoided talking about too. For example, Ashley would never tell him where she was, nor would she tell him about her present company. While Steve had refrained from telling her about the team's most recent assignments, involving biological weapons, and a certain former HYDRA agent - Brock Rumlow…or as he was now called, 'Crossbones'.

They'd be going to Lagos soon, but he wouldn't worry her with the details of such a thing. She wasn't there, and he knew that she'd panic about it if he mentioned the danger that they were all putting themselves into to catch Rumlow. But he was just grateful that she kept in contact. He could see the effect that her disappearance had on the team.

Tony had been down in the dumps for a little while now, as if he'd lost something important to him and he was never getting it back. But Steve didn't know about his relationship issues at the time, and had simply played it off as Tony losing a friend in Ashley. He had only just lost his lab buddy, Banner, so losing yet another person especially with all the loss he had already dealt with in life…it couldn't have been easy for him.

Wanda was still busy training, and the kid was getting better and better everyday, with Nat and Steve both helping her. But she too was crestfallen at Ashley's sudden disappearance. The younger woman hadn't even said goodbye, and no one knew that Steve was in contact with her. Ashley had insisted that he kept it to himself.

Clint was still in 'retirement', spending time with his family and working around the house. He had managed to finally knock out the east wall in the dining room for Laura's new workspace, like Nat had said, they always ate in the kitchen anyway!

And then there was Pietro.

Steve had never seen the elder Sokovian so unapproachable. He didn't care much for anyone's company, even Wanda's. What had caught him by surprise though, was his newfound 'friendship' with Tony.

It was no secret that the two had barely gotten along since they first met, so the fact that they were constantly meeting up in Tony's lab was worrying. Not to mention the times that Steve had walked in on one of their conversations, only to have them completely quieten down. Whatever secrets they were keeping, wouldn't stay hidden long. Steve just hoped that it was nothing serious, and that whatever scheme they were concocting wouldn't backfire in the worst of ways.

But knowing Tony's track record…they'd have another global crisis sometime soon.

However, he had to respect Ashley's wishes. She didn't want anyone to know, so he wouldn't tell them. It was an added risk that they couldn't afford. The less people who knew about their contact, the better.

Ashley made her way through the busy streets, dodging the children that seemed to be playing tag around her, and politely declining the goods that various vendors offered her. Finally, she reached the old apartment complex that they had been staying in for the past two days.

As expected, it was nothing fancy. There was a bathroom with a small shower cubicle, a toilet, and a basic sink with slight rust around the taps, and a kitchen that joined onto the living room that had doubled as a bedroom. The queen sized mattress was placed in the corner of the small room, along both walls. Bucky liked it that way, it ensured that no one could try to sneak up on them…though Ashley doubted such a thing was possible anyway. He had a uncanny ability to sense when someone was near, even better than she could.

But despite such an ability, he remained completely sprawled out across the mattress when she entered the apartment. His peaceful state brought a smile to her face, and she had to tear her gaze away from his naked back. He slept better without a shirt on apparently, his body temperature was higher than the average person. She still remembered the night he had awkwardly asked her if she minded, and she really had no objections.  _Really_.

But it was the fact that he had asked at all, that had caught her off-guard. Red wouldn't have cared, not one bit. But Bucky did…he seemed to be a bit more aware of other people's comfort zones.

The first time they had gotten to know each other, he was far colder…a blank mask worn beneath his real one. Even though she somewhat knew him in all those months, there was no doubt that she had learnt more about him in these two weeks than she ever could before.

Perhaps that was because he now knew more about himself, but she also assumed that it was due to the fact that he seem more… _human_. He spoke up, telling her about memories of Steve and his life before HYDRA. She had asked him about the 1940s, and they had laughed as he recounted some of his and Steve's more foolish moments. It was strange to consider the Cap doing such things, but then again, it wasn't just Bucky that had been torn from his time.

Steve was simply lucky that he had fallen into the 'right' hands, and not directly into HYDRA's clutches like Bucky had. Either way, he was definitely in the right place at the wrong time.

But Bucky was definitely making progress. While she had witnessed his protective nature when he defended her in the HYDRA facility, it was only reinforced now. Not only had he told her of how he would always beat the bullies off of Steve, but she had noticed it in his actions. He was protective when he was a blank canvas, now she pitied the man that tried to hurt her in this presence.

After quietly closing the door, she silently strode towards the humble kitchen.

It wasn't the clanking about in the kitchen that had woken Bucky, it was the scent. His stomach grumbled slightly as he recognised the aroma of her spinach omelette. He had made it no secret that he loved her spinach omelette, but then again, he loved any meal she made. It was nice to have a home-cooked meal, and it was an even better feeling to know that someone was willing to cook for him.

To know that someone  _cared_.

God, it was a relief to finally have her with him again. He didn't know that it would have made such a difference to him, but it had. Ashley had been there when he was at his worst. She had seen what he was capable of as the Winter Soldier, she had known exactly what he was like back then…and not once did she judge him for it. She liked him even as he was back then, an emotionless killer, and there was no second thoughts about it.

It was one of the reasons that he didn't mind her seeing him again in that alleyway. Unlike Steve, Ashley had no expectations of him. She knew the worst version of him, and even though he knew he wasn't the best version of himself -the 1940s Bucky Barnes, that everyone seemed to adore- he tried to be the best he could at the moment. And he had a feeling that she would have been happy no matter which Bucky she threw her arms around in that alleyway.

He wasn't so sure the same could be said for Steve Rogers. It was why he had avoided any confrontations with the man. He didn't know what Steve would expect of him, but he could only assume that it would be his old best friend, and even though Bucky was making progress, he was nowhere near the man that Captain America had been best friends with. Not yet. Possibly, never again.

And he didn't want to see the disappointment on the man's face. He was disappointed in himself and his past enough for the both of them, the last thing he wanted was to fall short once again.

But he was getting there.

Over the past year, he had learned to control himself. He no longer had 'episodes'. They were the moments in which he would lash out completely, unaware of both his surroundings and reality, his senses entirely flooded by the horrific memories of his erased past. Now such things were reserved for his sleeping thoughts, and though he definitely experienced the nightmares, they had gotten better in the past few weeks.

She had made them better. He didn't know what she was doing, but whatever it was, it dulled his body enough to reduce the strain that it faced on a nightly basis. Now they only came one or two times in the week.

It wasn't the only difference though. He was more at ease with her. She made him smile, and joke, and laugh…she didn't look at him as if he was damaged, nor did she treat him like a threat, constantly keeping an eye on him.

In fact, as he opened his eyes groggily, he noticed that this was a perfect example. Her back was facing him, working at the stove as he watched her.  _No one_  had ever trusted him enough to turn their back to him. It showed him just how highly she thought of him, despite his…questionable past. It was a good feeling, and he promised himself that he would never let her down again.

_"Stop it! Stop! Leave him alone!"_

He shook the memory out of his head, a frown tugging at his features as his brows furrowed. He hated that memory. Most of them were of the actions he took, the missions he had executed without a hitch…but this memory was a rare one in which he was completely powerless.

He couldn't do anything, and that didn't sit well with him.

"Morning."

He blinked rapidly, finally realising that he was staring right at her, but hadn't moved from his spot on the bed. Her hands were full and she shot him the same smile that made something in his gut clench, and his blue eyes followed after her as she placed the plate and glass of orange juice on the small plastic kitchen table.

" _Goo'_  mornin'"

She chuckled lightly at his response, his words muffled by the pillow his cheek was pressed against, as well as the grogginess that came with just waking up. But it was a running joke with them. He had always found it silly that she left out the 'good', and claimed that it made her sound as if she was stating the obvious.

_"Morning."_

_"I know."_

Was his first response all of two weeks ago, and he had been correcting her ever since.

"Breakfast is ready, so you better get your lazy butt up, mister."

He couldn't hold back his chuckle, his eyes drifting shut at the same time. Her faux stern tone was something he was used to, at first he couldn't tell when she was being serious, but the more he was around her, the more her realised that she was hardly ever serious!

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it?"

When he cracked his eyes open again, she was staring down at him. Brows raised in expectation, lips pursed, and her hands on her hips in a way that strangely reminded him of the way Steve's mother -Sarah- would look at them, whenever they trudged mud into the carpet from outside. She moved to crouch down threateningly beside him, a small smirk settling onto her lips.

"I will eat…Every. Last. Piece…of your omelette, unless you're at that table in the next two minutes."

He groaned lightly at her response, and turned over onto his back. Ashley had to dig deep into her inner strength supply, in order to keep her eyes off of his newly revealed chest. Sure, she had seen it before, but it was one of those things that you just couldn't ignore. Like when you drive past a car accident…bad example, but the same relative idea.

"2 minutes, 50 seconds…"

In all honesty, he was never lazy. Not in the mornings, afternoons, evenings. Never. But she realised that draining his energy during the nights may have changed that when it came to the mornings.

"Alright, alright…"

She shook her head in good humour as he rose to his feet, and quickly headed to the bathroom before he finally made it to the table, with 12 seconds to spare.

"Good?"

Bucky froze mid-bite for a moment, his fork hovering in front of his face and his eyes darting to his left where she had taken a seat. He finished his bite, a contemplative look on his face as he gave her a lazy shrug.

"I've had better."

Her eyes narrowed at him, but she couldn't stop the smile that came from his teasing smirk. He chuckled when he felt her shove his metal shoulder. Even though it wouldn't have usually had any effect on him, he allowed his body to lurch sideways slightly. She rose from her seat, heading over to the bathroom for a shower as she spoke.

"Oh…then I guess I won't bother-"

"Hey now, wait a second…"

He knew she was joking the moment he heard the familiar chiming of her laugh, and shook his head with a small smile.

* * *

Things weren't going according to plan.

Not one bit.

Ashley was meant to come back to the Tower, she'd agree to help them catch the Winter Soldier, S.H.I.E.L.D would let her off the hook, and all would be well…

Only she  _didn't_  come back to the Tower. She  _hadn'_ t agreed to help them catch the Winter Soldier, S.H.I.E.L.D most definitely  _hadn't_  let her off the hook, and all was  _not_  well!

No, no. She decided to leave without a trace. No note, no message, not even a damn smoke signal. The girl had actually had the nerve to completely abandon ship with a mass murdering psychopath. Tony had to hand it to her, she obviously had balls.

At first he had been angry. Yeah he was really pissed, and he wasn't the only one. Surprisingly enough, only Steve managed to remain calm at the news of a missing recruit. While Tony had first assumed that S.H.I.E.L.D had finally managed to snag her, he took a moment to really think about it before he went in, guns blazing.

Steve was way too calm when he heard of her disappearance, for someone who considered Ashley a friend, he was hardly convincing. The man had lived for almost a century, and he still couldn't lie to save his life!

So then he must have known beforehand. It wasn't difficult to piece the rest together. He and Steve were the only ones who knew about the warrant, he must have told her to lay low. The first question that had popped into Tony's mind, was if Steve knew just who she was on the run with.

But he assumed that if Steve had known, there was no way he would have stuck around the Tower for so long. He had been looking for his old pal for a long time, there was nothing that could keep him from Barnes.

Needless to say, S.H.I.E.L.D wasn't impressed when they were notified of a certain someone's absence. And naturally, Tony was blamed for it. Apparently his reaction when the warrant was first presented had made him suspect numero uno.

So to get them off his back he had volunteered to find her himself. Of course he had also told them that it would take a while, weeks even. In truth, he had found her in an instant. He had her energy signature memorised, it was only too easy to find her. But he wouldn't bring her in. She was apparently happy exactly where she was.

She would have come back if she wasn't.

Not to mention the fact that she was also  _safer_  where she was…even if her only company could kill a man -or ten- blindfolded. But that didn't mean he wasn't keeping track of her. In fact, deep within his files he had already asked his trusty AI to update him on her movements everyday. He knew exactly where she was, but he trusted that she knew what she was doing.

But right now he had other things to think about.

Like the MIT Alumni seminar he was about to present, and the fact that while he was doing so, the rest of the team was on there way to Lagos to possibly (finally) detain Rumlow. The last thing they needed was a biological weapon on their hands, so he had to have faith that they could manage without not only him, but Bruce, Clint and even Thor.

Sighing, he took the stage.

* * *

_"Stop it! Stop! Leave him alone!"_

_Seeing the familiar green tinge in her eyes, was enough to spur the agent into action, and he had jabbed the needle into her neck with practiced precision. It would take a few seconds, but the sedative would render her unconscious soon._

_"No can do, sweetheart. Take a nice long look at your loverboy, it's the last time you'll ever see him._ _"_

_Brock Rumlow had been alerted as soon as the tech staff noticed how cosy the two were getting. The last thing HYDRA needed was a compromised Winter Soldier. He was meant to be training her, not sticking his tongue down her throat. It made him scoff._

_So he had gathered a few agents, busted the door open and they had them surrounded. Brock rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the rookie that dared to drag her up by her hair. Did he honestly think that was gonna fly with the Soldier?_

_As experienced as he was, Brock waited, watching as each agent was_ _quickly disposed of, until he finally saw his chance to strike from behind. He knew that a blow to the head would barely be felt by the man, so the only thing to do was to sedate him._

_He watched the girl scream for the man that was rapidly losing consciousness, her hands cupping his face as she begged him to stay with her. For a moment, he even pitied them. But he had a job to do._

_So they had been dragged away, and he had been strapped to the all too familiar chair, where his 'conditioning' would take place. The girl had been hit with a sedative too, but the concentration wasn't strong enough to take her down. Her cells seemed to burn through it much faster than a normal person's would. So he had given her a second hit as soon as she started screaming at him._

_The lovebirds hadn't looked away from each other, and she was frantically crying as soon the Soldier started screaming. In a sick sort of way, it was satisfying to see him finally weakened, he was always so strong. The electricity that was frying his brain would have killed a normal human, and when they had tried it on the girl…well, nothing happened._

_She just absorbed it. The doctor's were pretty pissed about that, so they took a new approach. ' **Befriend her'**. Guess that went right down the crapper too._

* * *

They'd need to stop soon.

They needed fuel, water… _food._

It was taking a little longer than they had anticipated to reach their destination, but no one was complaining just yet.

Well, maybe that wasn't entirely true.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No." She grit her teeth, trying to hold back her rising temper.

"…now?"

"One more word!" The growled warning had the man quickly dragging his fingers over his lips in a zipping motion, his brows shooting up to his hairline in a look of innocence.

"Ooooh, easy Quill. They're scary when they're mad."

"Don't I know it, bro." Peter shared a fist bump with the raccoon beside him, before the furry little critter resumed his work on… _something?_

It was large, metallic, and it could shoot things. Nothing new there.

"What's got your panties in a twist anyway?"

Gamora's jaw clenched for a moment, trying not to display her inner worry so obviously to her new friends. They had been travelling together for a while now, and things were going relatively well. But the further they travelled, the more they learnt about Thanos and the infinity stones that were yet to be found.

There was only one that was on Gamora's mind though.

It had been years since she had seen her baby sister. She had felt her heart break the moment she had laid the child down in an empty apartment in the Terran city of Vancouver. Knowing that she was the one who physically left her there, only made her feel worse inside, and she knew that Thanos had order her to do it for that reason. He liked seeing people suffer, even those he favoured.

She twirled the silver ring around her finger absentmindedly, and Quill's brows came together in confusion. It was rare to see Gamora so…not-Gamora like.

"Nothing…just thinking."

* * *

**Boring, yeah I know.**

**But thanks for reading anyway! I hope you all enjoy the movie, and I might update soon-ish...maybe?**

**See ya soon!**


	23. Chapter 23:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Just going to start this by saying that I'll genuinely admit that this chapter is probably not to the same standard as the others. It's been a very busy time for me. I'm in my last year at uni and I have exams this week and next week but I wanted to get something out for you guys before the end of June so this is kinda a filler but still includes CW.
> 
> P.S Whoever nominated me for the BiT awards, thank you! That was very sweet of you, and I appreciate it! :)
> 
> If you have any suggestions feel free to send them in! And while you're at it, let me know if you're #Buckley or #Astro haha :P
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: See chapter 1...
> 
> This was written at 2am, it's not really edited so please let me know if there are any mistakes you notice! Thanks :)

 

**Chapter 23:**

The bombing in Lagos had been a nightmare for the team.

Wanda was distraught.

Pietro, who had barely been holding it together, was doing all he could to take her mind off of the people she had unintentionally harmed…or worse. Thankfully, it also seemed that Vision had taken it upon himself to help the younger Maximoff as well.

Yes, that was new.

Vision had been living with them for a while now. Pietro wasn't too sure how he felt about that, especially considering how much time he spent around Wanda. At first he hadn't wanted Wanda spending time with Ashley, but now he found himself mentally begging the woman to return so that his sister's attention would shift to her instead.

Though that wasn't the only reason he wanted Ashley back.

Tony on the other hand, was trying to figure out a way to repair the irreparable. The world was one giant group of angry villagers, pitchforks at the ready, as they called for their heads. Despite the Lagos incident being entirely accidental, the public was entirely outraged. Funny how one relatively minor incident (considering what they usually dealt with) was enough to make them forget all of the good that the team had done.

Sure, their hands weren't entirely clean, but whose hands would be after all of the messes that they had cleaned?

And that was just the beginning of his problems. He still had Pepper on his mind, a guilty conscious, a divide in the team, and a dear friend on the run with the world's most dangerous assassin. It was a situation that for once had Tony Stark wishing he wasn't Tony Stark...

Nobody really knew what Natasha was doing, she came and went as she pleased, while Clint was still enjoying his time with his family.

And Steve…

Steve was conflicted. Determined…and quite frankly, a little pissed.

Not only was the tension thick between the team after he had rejected the Accords, but he was now up against the clock when it came to finding Bucky. They had been informed that his old friend was responsible for the recent bombing in Vienna; Steve had seen the evidence himself, even if it wasn't yet released to the public. It was a manhunt, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time.

He needed to find Bucky.  _Now_.

He had pushed the thought of Peggy's recent death out of his mind, knowing that the time for grieving would have to wait, as much as it pained him to do so. Now it was up to him to save the only person from his past that he had left. It was strange how easily he could go against the law nowadays.

Then again, he had never been one to simply follow the law. No, he didn't do that…he did what was  _right,_ even if it wasn't exactly legal.

So he had found himself in the Tower, turning the place upside down for anything that could help him. He knew that Tony was up to something, as was the elder Maximoff. He didn't know if it was related to Ashley (because that's the only thing that could actually make those two work together… _willingly_ ) or if it was just some random scheme, but he was desperate.

And it was in his desperation that he had found the very thing he needed, after 2 long hours.

"J.A.R.V.I.S?"

" _Yes, Captain?_ "

"Who was searching for accomodation in Romania?"

" _I believe that was Mr Stark, Captain._ "

Although Tony could trace Ashley's energy signature, her emissions were large enough to cover a significant amount of area. Unfortunately for him, that meant that he could never get a precise location on her whereabouts. So he had to resort to searching for potential accomodation the hard way - by looking through all of the places available within her emission range.

"Why?"

Steve's brows furrowed as he looked over the holographic list of searches. There was a whole list of towns and cities, and if his geography skills were as good as he thought, they made a clear path across eastern Europe. What had really caught his attention was the type of accomodation that Tony had been investigating.

Run-down, barely 2-star areas were not Tony Stark's scene. Not at all…and that told him that the searches he was currently looking at, had nothing to do with Tony at all.  _So who was it?_  However minor the information was, he was glad to have found it at all.

Thank god for Wanda. The younger Sokovian had actually taught him much about technology, even though Pietro was the one who usually spent more time using such things. Yeah, he'd been out of the ice for a while, but this stuff was still confusing every now and then.

" _I'm not at liberty to discuss such things, I'm sorry._ "

Steve's brows furrowed heavily at the answer. Why would Tony be keeping secrets? What was there to be keeping secret in the first place? The only logical explanation was Ashley…but he knew that it couldn't be her, Pietro would have been on the first flight to Romania if that was the case.

Steve wasn't stupid, and neither was the rest of the team. They all knew he had taken to staying in their youngest recruit's room weeks ago. If there was ever any doubt about his feelings for her, he had easily wiped it out.

What the team didn't know, was how difficult it was for the Sokovian to even get some sleep. His nightmares had doubled, showing him the most creative of ways the woman he cared for could die…and if it wasn't Ashley, it was Ultron all over again. Despite the bullets being removed during surgery, and despite Helen doing her best with the cradle, his scars still ached after one of those dreams.

There was only one period of time that his nightmares hadn't haunted him every night, and that was when he wasn't alone. Ashley's presence had been effective in soothing him, far more than anything else. He hadn't mentioned anything to Wanda, despite her ability to ease his mind, not wanting to have her worry for him.

So one night after he had shot out of bed in a heap of sweat and flailing limbs, he had done the only thing he could think of. He had gone to her room…and he had stayed there ever since.

But the point was, that Pietro wouldn't have simply sat still and waited for all of this to blow over so that Ash could come home. He was too impulsive and impatient for that, and Tony surely would have told the youngster if he knew of her whereabouts. So who was Tony tracking in Romania?

"J.A.R.V.I.S, this room here…" Steve pointed to the listing as if the AI was standing right beside him. "It's the last in the search history, who paid for it?"

He was hoping that the AI would respond with a name, rather than rejection.

" _The most recent name listed is a Mr George Gabor_."

The name was entirely foreign to Steve, so of what interest was this man to Tony?

"Did he have any identification on him? Driver's licence? passport?"

" _There is no listed identification specified. However, the establishment does seem to have security footage._ "

That made Steve perk up, surprised to hear that such a rundown 'establishment' would spend money on such a thing.

"Can you pull up a photo of Mr Gabor for me?"

" _Right away, Captain._ "

Despite the cameras, it was only too obvious that the man -'Mr Gabor'- was quite competent at avoiding them. There was only one single grainy photo that had stood out, and even then most people wouldn't be able to identify a man based on his back. But Steve knew his best friend well enough to know that it was him.

His long hair was hidden beneath a cap, a baggy hoody making it difficult to discern his build, but he knew Bucky too well to not know it was him. And if that wasn't enough in itself, he liked to think that the name 'George' hadn't been randomly chosen by chance.

If it was intentionally picked out, then it was possible that his old friend was remembering people from his past. His father was, after all, named George.

"Hey, J.A.R.V.I.S? I'm gonna need you to get me on the next flight to Bucharest."

" _Of course, Sir._ "

"Oh, and J.A.R.V.I.S?"

" _Yes, Captain?_ "

"I'm going to have to ask you to not tell anyone at least until I get there."

" _My lips are sealed, Captain._ "

* * *

Ashley's eyes groggily opened when she felt the mattress beneath her jolting every few seconds. It was barely sunrise, judging by the faint light that was peaking out from beneath the blinds, and she could already hear the sounds of civilisation from the streets below. But that wasn't what had woken her.

Turning onto her left side, she took in the sight of the man barely 5 inches away from her. He was having another flashback, or nightmare…she couldn't tell, but it didn't really matter.

His head lolled from side to side, his brows drawn together and eyes clamped shut tightly. His whole body was tense, forehead damp and breathing ragged. She hated seeing him like this. She hated HYDRA for doing this to him.

Knowing that waking him up would only result in him lashing out, Ashley did what she always did in these situations, and ran her fingers comfortingly down his forearm. It never took too much effort to calm him, she found that it was the small things, like physical contact that eased his sleeping mind.

She knew that he hadn't had much  _pleasant_ contact with others in his long life. HYDRA didn't allow such a thing. He hadn't know what it was like to have someone comfort him, so it was relatively easy to do so.

Feeling the tension leave the newly relaxed muscles in his arm, as his breathing evened out, Ashley withdrew her own hand with a small smile. As usual, he hadn't liked that.

The familiar cybernetic arm had lazily shot out as he rolled onto his right side, latching around her waist and quickly pulling her into him, knocking the air out of her lungs at the force. It wasn't uncommon for him to cling to something, or some _one_  while he was asleep, so Ashley wasn't surprised to feel the scratchy stubble pressed into her neck as his head nestling itself between the junction of her neck and shoulder. Nor was she surprised to hear the soothing breath he had taken, knowing he wasn't alone.

She doubted that he even knew he did such a thing, for he had never woken up in a similar position. And for the sake of his pride, she had never told him. She didn't want him to think that he was a burden to her. If clinging onto her was the only way to get some form of sleep, then she would be happy to never say a word to him.

The fingers of her left hand weaved in and out of his hair absentmindedly, making him burrow his stubbled face even further. It made her think about the time she had done the same to a certain Sokovian. It brought a small smile to her face as his boyish smirk flittered through her mind, but her smile soon dropped when she realised her reality.

Had it already been over 3 weeks since she had last seen him?

He had been such a constant in her everyday life, it was strange to think that she hadn't seen him in so long. A familiar feeling of guilt swelled within her, knowing that she had given the team very little thought when she decided to take her leave. It killed her to not be able to talk to them, but Steve had been very informative when he told her just what was happening.

She couldn't go back, and contacting them would only make it worse. The last thing she wanted was to have them detained for associating with her. No, it was better this way. She'd call Steve, and  _only_  Steve.

The thought reminded her of the fact that it had already been five days since their last phone call, meaning she'd have to call again today.

Frantic beeping from the busy street below snapped her out of her thoughts, and her hand stilled when she felt Bucky shift on top of her. He groaned unhappily as the beeping continued, followed by the muffled shouts of angry drivers.

As if finally realising the position he was in, his eyes snapped open, wondering just what his head had been laying on.

Ashley stayed still as he raised his head and met her friendly gaze with a look of confusion, which quickly turned to sheepishness when his thoughts finally caught up to him. She gave him a soft smile, to ease his mind, but apparently it hadn't had the desired effect.

"Morning."

"I…I'm sorry."

And just like that, he was drawn back into his shell.

Bucky pulled himself away from her, hauling his body to the foot of the bed as he swung his legs over the edge and stayed seated, his elbows resting on each thigh. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt embarrassed, the Winter Soldier never did. But the more time he spent out of HYDRA's clutches the easier it was to remember.

Not just the memories, but the feelings as well. Some of which he shouldn't have been feeling.

"Hey…"

He closed his eyes and let his head drop slightly when he felt the mattress dip behind him, before a warm hand was placed on his bare shoulder. But he didn't respond.

"Bucky?"

His eyes slowly opened at his name. He had gotten used to hearing her call him by it, rather than her usual nickname of 'Red'. Shifting his eyes over his right shoulder, he mustered up a small smile when he saw the concern on her face.

"You know you don't have to apologise to me, right?"

He slowly gave her a hesitant nod, and opted to try and get her attention off of him by turning on the small TV that rested on a tall wooden cabinet. He wasn't trying to be evasive intentionally, but he felt a swell of guilt every time he thought about how much cared she showed him. He didn't deserve it. Not after everything he had done.

He had no idea how she had stayed so positive after all that she herself had been through, but it brightened his days when memories of his horrific past tried to drag him down. He just hoped that he could one day repay the favour.

"What the…?"

His pale eyes shot over to the screen, but despite the carnage he could see, his face remained passive.

Turning the volume up on the small TV, Ashley's brows furrowed and her face warped into a range of emotions as she watched attentively.

The pretty reporter was speaking in rapid Romanian, and Ashley was glad for the subtitles…until she realised just what the woman was saying. It had been a while since she had paid any attention to the news, over a week. How could this have possibly happened in such a short amount of time?

She watched as the scene changed from the typical newsroom backdrop into shocking scenes from Vienna. Apparently there was a bombing at a UN meeting, a number of casualties -including a  _King_ \- and an on-going investigation into the person or persons responsible.

When the woman went on to mention a potentially related incident in Lagos, and some sort of Accords that related to the events in Sokovia, Ashley's jaw almost dropped. Had she not spoken to Steve already, she would have understood. But she  _had_  spoken to him, and he hadn't told her a damn thing about this!

Perhaps he hadn't wanted her to worry…well she sure was now!

Deciding that the news didn't concern him, Bucky rose from the bed and rummaged through a backpack before pulling out a clean set of clothes.

"I'm gonna shower and then head into town. You need anything?"

Ashley's attentive stare remained on the TV, while she mutely shook her head at the question. He couldn't tell if she was even aware of what he had just asked her, so he simply watched her for a moment longer, before turning and making his way into the bathroom.

He didn't take offence to it, he knew how much her friends meant to her. She was no doubt worrying about them, just as much as she had worried about him when they were separated.

When he finally left, Ashley didn't miss the fact that he had left a cell phone in the middle of the mattress.

* * *

" _Hello?"_

The careless voice that answered had her freezing completely. It was obvious that he had picked up the phone accidentally, or maybe even intentionally, if she knew him as well as she liked to think.

Obviously he thought it would simply be a stranger, if the nonchalant yet somewhat curious tone of his voice was anything to go by.

Ashley didn't know what to do.

Did she answer him? Could she risk that? Or would it be better to just hang up and leave it all alone? She had already told herself that she couldn't contact them, and here he was, answering Steve's phone.

" _ **Hello?**_ "

She could hear the impatience seep into his huffing voice and had to bite her lip to refrain from answering. Clamping her eyes shut in contemplation, she held the phone to her ear, listening to the hushed conversation going on in the background.

" _-don't know, Wanda. No one is answering…if it is anyone important, they'll call him again…_ "

It was obvious that he was about to hang up, but she realised that she didn't want him to. She missed him. She missed hearing his voice, as strange as it sounded. She missed the movie sessions they had, the ones that he usually hated, which ended with the both of them crashing in Pietro's bed with the TV playing in the background.

"Pietro?"

The word was whispered but she knew he heard it when the sound of something crashing came from the receiver. His breathing had become slightly heavier, disbelieving yet hopefully.

" _Ashley?_ "

She felt a tinge of guilt spread through her, knowing that she had probably made them worry about her. Pietro had been the last person she had seen before she left, and she had plenty of time to think about that night. He had wanted to talk to her, and she had blown him off. In her defence, the circumstances were an acceptable excuse, but they had never gotten around to having that talk.

"Hey, hot stuff…"

The pet name that was usually teasing and light-hearted, had sounded far too sorrowful and regretful when she had dejectedly murmured it, barely above a whisper. But he didn't care, he was far too concerned with the fact that for the first time in almost a month, he could hear her voice again.

" _Ashley._ "

"Pietro…how are you?"

" _I…I don't know._ " She could hear the sadness and uncertainty in his tone, and closed her eyes at the sound of it. " _Where are you? When are you coming home?_ "

Ashley could hear who she assumed was Wanda, rapidly speaking to Pietro in a language she didn't recognise. What she did understand was the shushing noises that the younger Maximoff was making, obviously not wanting anyone to realise they were chatting.

"I don't know. You know I can't come back yet, I want to…but I  _can't_."

Something inside the Sokovian hurt at her words. He knew she couldn't return while there was a warrant for her detainment hanging over their heads, but if he could have, he would have been selfish and demanded that she returned at once. He had been angry for weeks, cursing the Soldier for ever turning up, even if he wasn't the entire reason for Ashley's departure.

"Pietro, I have to go…"

A jolt of panic ran through him at the sympathetic whisper, not quite satisfied with the short conversation just yet.

" _No, please just…I need-I want to hear your voice._ " He knew how pathetic he sounded, but he didn't care in the moment. Not one bit. If this was all he was going to get for the next who-knows-how-long, then he'd be making the most of it. Unfortunately for him, his time was up.

" _Wanda, what are you-hey! Give it back!_ "

Ashley huffed out a quiet laugh when she heard the familiar sounds of a scuffle on the other end.

" _Ashley?_ "

It was great to hear her friend's voice again. It had been too long since she had another woman to talk to, and even though she wouldn't trade Bucky for the world, Wanda was her best friend. It made her feel even worse for not saying anything to her before or after she left to go with Bucky in the first place.

"Wanda. I'm so sorry, I know I should have let you know what was happening, but I didn't want you guys involved."

" _It's ok…I understand. Ashley?_ "

"Yeah?"

" _Just, be careful? And come back to us when you can._ "

Wanda knew that the younger woman's time was up, which is why she had taken the phone from Pietro in the first place. If he had it his way, it would be permanently glued to his ear!

"Yes, ma'am. Look after him, yeah?" They both knew exactly who she was talking about.

Wanda cast a look around her room, realising that her brother had obviously run off to sulk. She just hoped that he hadn't gone and told anyone about the phone call. That was the last thing they needed.

" _Always._ "

"Thank you."

Ashley hung up with a sad sigh.

She hated S.H.I.E.L.D for this. It was completely unnecessary, but they were too stubborn and power-hungry to see it that way. Why couldn't they just let her live her life like a normal person? She hadn't done anything wrong! She'd even helped them!

Realising that the thoughts were only making her angrier, she opted for shower before Bucky got back. They had always been relaxing to her, and she could use some relaxation right about now.

After washing away the minimal dirt she had on her in the first place, she moved onto her hair until the routine was complete. One thing she'd never understand was how Bucky could manage to shower so quickly. But then again, she hadn't known that this was entirely different to the way HYDRA used to hose him down like some sort of animal.

He was even allowed to use hot water now, though he tried to leave as much of it as possible for her.

Ashley could hear movement on the other side of the bathroom door as soon as she had finished. Pulling on her underwear and a tracksuit with a plain black sweater, Ashley tried to hear as much as possible. She could only feel one presence, and even though it was similar to Bucky's energy reading, it wasn't him. Still, there was something familiar about it.

What should she do? wait? or confront the intruder?

She didn't even have time to decide, before an all too familiar presence had entered the apartment. She waited for a moment, knowing that her sudden appearance would only serve to distract Bucky, but she swung the door open as soon as she realised that nothing was happening.

_"This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck."_

Her dark brows furrowed as she took in the obvious figure of Captain America, who had yet to notice her in the doorway -his attention solely on his old friend.  _At least I know why he didn't answer his phone..._

"Steve?"

The man in question spun around instantly, eyes widening.

"Ash? What the hell are you doing here?"

_"Breach, breach, breach!"_

And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

**Uh oh...someone has some explaining to do!**

**Badassery kicks in next chapter. Sorry for the boring one this time 'round. Eh uni. You suck!**

**See ya soon guys!**

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Chapter 1...
> 
> Sorry for the delay!

 

** Chapter 24: **

 

Before Ashley could even register what was going on, a grenade had crashed through the window, but Steve was quick to deflect it back with his shield. She was, however, prepared for the one that followed, containing the explosion within a green dome of power. Her adrenalin spiked with the sound of shouts coming from the other side of the door, and she stood frozen for a moment while Bucky threw a table towards the entry, temporarily blocking the doorway.

 

Police crashed in through the windows, but the old friends dealt with them swiftly. Steve seemed convinced that Bucky would be killing someone eventually, and he hadn’t failed to let him know about it.

The former assassin’s conversation with his old best friend was barely heard by Ash; she was too busy wondering what the hell was going on, and what they were going to do about it. When she turned to face them, she watched as Bucky raised a fist as he hovered over Steve. For a moment she even thought that her friend was going to fight the man, but his fist was aimed at the floorboards where he had hidden a backpack when they first arrived, and not at the super-soldier’s head.

 

“Ash?” 

 

She was snapped out of her thoughts abruptly when she heard the gruff voice, and looked over to face her friend.

 

“You need to get out of here. When we get out, run. Run, and don’t look back.” Bucky watched her brows furrow and mouth open, but he spoke up again before she could refuse. “Ash…I need you to do this for me.” He swallowed dryly, his voice quiet as he stood before her. “Please.”

 

She wasn’t too sure that she could do that if it came to it, but right now they didn’t have the time to argue. Steve could only watch in confusion. 

 

“Alright…” she said hesitantly, nodding once.

 

With that reassurance, Bucky’s mind was set at ease, knowing he had one less thing to worry about. Even though her reply wasn’t convincing, she hadn’t failed in listening to him just yet. 

 

In that moment, the front door was breached and Ashley instinctively aimed a blast at the heavily armed officer who had just rushed into the room with a gun aimed at them. Bucky and Steve had been dealing with those coming through the windows once again, but they had quickly made their way to the door as well. The trio watched the man fly back forcefully into the wall on the opposite side of the square staircase, narrowly missing the gaping hole that shot down towards the ground floor.

 

She didn’t miss the disapproving look that Steve was shooting her way, and shrugged innocently with a sheepish smile.  

 

“Between the two of you…” He trailed off with an exasperated shake of his head, spurred into action once again when Bucky shot forward in a flurry of punches to deal with more of the police making their way up the stairs. 

 

The former assassin was ruthless, but Ash had to admit that even Steve was doing his fair share of damage. To be fair though, he was also trying to keep as many people from dying as possible, almost failing when Bucky threw a man over the railing. But even with Steve’s admonishment, the former HYDRA asset was determined to make his way out of there.

 

Which was obviously understandable in Ashley’s opinion. This was a man who had never been caught in his life as 'The Winter Soldier’, and he’d be damned if today would be the day that it finally happened. 

Bucky was practically flying down the staircase, leaping down the flights of stairs and even throwing himself over the railing at one point. She heard his pained groan as soon as he latched onto a railing several floors below them, and struggled to keep up with him. When she did finally reach the same floor, he pulled her aside before anyone else could interrupt them.

 

“I’ll go through the window...keep 'em off your tail, _you_ need to get out of here.” If he could offer a distraction, she could easily walk out the front door of the building and away from all of this. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew that it didn’t matter which side got their hands on her. Whether it was the ‘good’ guys or the ‘bad’ guys. They would all want the same thing, and it was far more dangerous for them to have her in containment than him. 

 

He had seen it first hand with HYDRA. He knew exactly what they would demand, and what measures they would go to in order to get what they wanted. He’d been through it all…and there was no way that he was letting her go through the same thing. 

 

“Buck-”

 

“Please, Ash…you said you’d run for me.” Her jaw clenched when she saw the pleading look on his 

face, and even though she knew he was manipulating her, she pulled him into a quick hug.

 

“You be careful, alright?” 

 

He quirked a small smile. “Yes, ma’am.” 

 

Bucky gave a final nod toward the door, and she bolted out of there and into the chaos of the staircase. Luckily Steve had dealt with almost everyone there and hardly anyone paid attention to her anyway. Residents of the building were curiously peering out from doors that were opened an inch or two, wondering what exactly was going on in their building. But Bucky had apparently been right in assuming she’d have a free run at the exit.

 

Though it wasn’t exactly going too well for Bucky on a certain rooftop, and she realised that as soon as she saw Sam Wilson _drop-kicking a helicopter_ in mid-air. 

 

She knew she would have to eventually make this decision. Did she do as Bucky had told her to, or did she help the man that had done so much for her? It wasn’t even a decision. 

* * *

 

 

Bucky didn’t look back when he finally made it off of the roof, sprinting at full speed down the busy street. He didn’t know what to make of the man chasing him. He didn’t recognise him, and he sure as hell hadn’t expected something like that.

 

A few Romanian cops and a maybe a few US agents, but this guy was none of the above.

 

So when he saw the motorcycle heading his way, Bucky wasted no time in removing the rider and using his enhanced strength to flip it around and mount it in one graceful motion. Steve was completely out of his thoughts as he sped through the tunnel, but when he looked back, he could see the dark suit making its way closer on a car that his old friend was driving. 

 

He sure was determined. 

 

He had no idea who this guy was, but he was a damn good fighter. It was unlike Bucky to not finish a fight, but he was trying to get away from the killer that was The Winter Soldier. He had gone without an incident for months now, and he wasn’t going to slip up now. He was serious when he told Steve that he wasn’t going to kill anybody…and that included the guy chasing him, who seemed hellbent on killing him. 

 

It wasn’t just that he was a good fighter, his suit was something special too. It was strong, and his claws were sharper than a razor. What Bucky couldn’t quite figure out just yet, was why this man was after him in the first place. Why _here_ , and why _now_? 

 

Could he have been someone from his past that he had either directly or indirectly hurt? He couldn’t remember him.

 

A small explosion caught his attention up ahead, as the roof of the tunnel stared to cave in, and all questions were out of his mind as soon as he found himself hurtling through the air, thrown from the back of the motorcycle he had…borrowed. He rolled across the road, coming to a halt before trying to pull himself back onto his feet. This guy was getting pretty damn annoying now.

 

The former HYDRA assassin barely had time to get on his feet, before he was roughly tackled down once again. The distant sound of sirens could be heard approaching, and Steve and Sam were hastily making their way towards the fighting duo. Steve’s eyes widened in fear as he watched the scene play out before him.

 

With Bucky now on his back, the man swung in a swipe that would surely have killed him, had his clawed hand not collided with a green barrier. His irritation mounted at not being able to deliver the final blow to the man who had killed his father, and feeling the presence behind him, he swiped at the assassin’s protector instead. 

 

Ashley barely had any time to even register the quick attack, and she could only wait for the razor sharp claws to tear into her skin…but she didn’t feel a thing. In fact, the next thing she saw was a blue blur, and the cat-man hurtling back from the force that had collided with him. Her eyes widened as she stared at the familiar back that was standing in front of her protectively. There was no mistaking the broad form clad in blue, or the silver strands that sat on top of the dark layer beneath them. 

 

Pietro’s shoulders rose slightly, in a mix of anger an exertion. He was fast, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get tired.

 

By now, Bucky was standing again, slightly clutching his side and watching the stand-off warily. The last time he had seen the kid, it hadn’t been entirely pleasant. But even back then he could see the protectiveness he had toward Ashley, and in this particular instance, he was pretty damn glad the kid was there. 

 

He was so relieved, that his anger at Ash for not listening to him hadn’t even kicked in yet.

But he didn’t have much time to think about it, because in an instant, the blaring sirens had reached them. Bucky’s eyes quickly flickered in search of an escape, but there would be no escape this time. 

 

Ashley’s worried eyes flickered over to him, and she had unknowingly clutched the back of Pietro’s shirt like a scared child. Whether she was scared for herself, or the former assassin, was anyone’s guess. 

Pietro had turned to face her in a blur of motion as soon as he felt the contact, his hands coming up to protectively pull her closer. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, realising that she had missed him more than she thought possible. 

 

“Pietro…” 

 

The Sokovian almost shivered at the sound of his own name being whispered in his ear, and held her closer.

 

He hoped that his presence with her would deter anyone from detaining her, seeing as he had in fact signed The Accords. It was a difficult decision to make, but he figured that if Wanda wasn’t going to do so, he at least should, in order for it to seem like they weren't rebelling. They were foreign after all, and the last thing he wanted was the government thinking that they were a threat. 

 

“Are you ok?” He pulled back as his clear eyes shot around Ash’s face, inspecting the features he had severely missed ever since she had left. It was difficult to believe that _this_ was why Steve had asked him to accompany him. The super-soldier had approached both twins the day before, and it was while they were in their motel room on the other side of the city, that Ashley had called him. 

 

They were meant to stay out of the action, and Wanda had obliged after her most recent… _incident_. Getting his sister out of the facility had been a challenge under Vision’s constant supervision, but Pietro was not leaving her alone in that building. He saw how everyone feared her, and he would not leave her there. God only knew what they would do to her if given the chance. 

 

“I…I’m fine, Pietro.” She gave him a small smile, not quite believing that he was really there at all. “Thank yo-”

 

He had been so fixated on her, staring at her like she was pure gold, that he had barely noticed the small flinch. A shaky hand reached up to the back of her neck, and she quickly removed the small dart from her skin, holding it in front of her face in confused inspection. Pietro mentally cursed at his stupidity. 

 

That single moment, that lapse in focus, was what led to her current swaying. Her dark eyes pulsed green for a moment, a silent rebellion to the anaesthetic making its way through her system. But there was nothing that could be done. Sure, the chemicals would wear away pretty quickly, but at the moment, Ashley was rendered unconscious. 

 

The Sokovian was quick to catch the brunette, an arm under her knees while the other wrapped around her back protectively. 

 

“Good job, kid.” 

 

Pietro’s pale eyes shot over to the familiar metal suit addressing him, though this one wasn’t made for Tony Stark. He knew Tony didn’t want Ashley caught, they had come to an understanding. But Colonel Rhodes didn’t know about that, and at the moment, Secretary Ross was hellbent on capturing the woman in his arms. This would not end well.

 

Bucky glared at the Sokovian. _Of course,_ he was just here to capture her. He didn’t care about protecting her, he just didn’t want them to lose a potential _asset_. As soon as he got out -because _yes_ , he was 

getting out- he’d deal with the punk himself.

 

“Lock ‘em up. I want them separated!” One of the officers shouted. It was obvious by the American accent that this wasn’t Romanian police, but one of Ross’ men. Bucky and Steve could do nothing but clench their jaws and raise their hands to their heads in submission. Pietro’s grip had tightened on Ashley as a man approached them with vibranium cuffs that had been designed especially for her. But he had a decision to make.

 

He could either get them both out of there and start another manhunt, or he could let them take her and keep his name clear, and then get Stark to help him get her out of containment. The second option would be less messy, but the thought of abandoning her like that went against everything he believed in. 

 

But he had to make the decision.

 

And he did.

* * *

 

Tony was sure that he would eventually lose his mind. 

 

Vision had alerted him that Wanda was gone. His AI had alerted him that Steve was gone. His common sense had alerted him that Pietro was gone…and now there was a giant shit-storm heading his way! 

 

He tried. He _really_ did. All he wanted was to put the Avengers a step ahead, to make sure they weren’t completely shut down eventually. He’d take the leash if it meant the muzzle could stay off. But it seemed like every time he tried to do the right thing, the world was against him. Apparently ‘the right thing’ was only the right thing if it suited everyone else. 

 

Now he had to deal with the fact that Steve and Sam were arrested (but so was Barnes and some weird guy in a cat outfit that turned out to be a prince, so that was a plus), he was getting hounded about Wanda’s whereabouts, and to top it all off…they had Ash. 

 

Rhodey had called, and let him know exactly what happened. The billionaire still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that Pietro -the lovesick puppy- was the one to hand over the Juliet to his Romeo. Was the kid really that thick? Did he really not know that there was a strong possibility that he would never see her again once the government got their hands on her?

 

Seriously! What did he think would happen? - ‘Give us the girl or we’ll…what? _Blow up the white house?_ ’

Yeah, _sure_. They were the heroes, not the villains.   

 

But it had already been done. There was no point in thinking about ‘what if?’, the important thing was 

‘what now?’. 

 

Now, Tony was anxiously waiting for everyone to finally arrive, and he had leapt up into a determined stride as soon as he caught sight of the heavily armed escort on the monitor screen. When they all finally came to a halt, Barnes was hauled through the building in his own portable little prison. Steve and Sam were in cuffs, as well as their new royal friend, and Ash -well, he guessed it was Ash- was being carried around on a vibranium stretcher that was completely sealed over her like the dome he had first found her in.

 

Tony’s jaw clenched to the point where it actually became painful. They didn’t even know her and they were already treating her like a prisoner. They had another thing coming if they thought that the vibranium would hold her without constant sedation. Sure, it stabilised her sometimes, but that was when she allowed it to. 

 

He was quick to make sure that she was left with him, after all, he had more to worry about in that moment than just Ash. For example, there was the fact that Secretary Ross was on his way, and that he wanted both Steve and Sam prosecuted. 

 

So naturally, Tony had tried to come up with a plan to ensure that didn’t happen. But Steve shot that to pieces fairly quickly, even when Tony told him how much they needed to stay together. The super soldier was damn stubborn, and his refusal to sign The Accords was getting kinda annoying to the billionaire. He meant it when he said that he was trying to do his best. It was a crappy situation they were in, but he was trying to make do. 

 

Steve had eventually stormed out of their conversation, all holier-than-thou, and Tony was left with a killer migraine, and a sense of impending doom when he saw Ross making his way over through the glass that surrounded him.

 

“Mr Stark! Good to see you again.” 

 

Thaddeus Ross gave him a pleased smile, his two guards silently stopping by the entrance of the room.

 

“Yeah…” Tony sighed with a hidden roll of his eyes. He didn’t like handing the reins over to someone else, and he hated that Ross thought he was so superior that he could boss him around like his own personal errand boy. He remembered how much grief he used to give Nat for following Fury’s every word like an obedient puppy. 

 

Following wasn’t Tony’s style. 

 

“Ah, there it is…” Tony’s dark eyes snapped over to the man cautiously, watching as he made his way over to the vibranium _coffin -_ as he had taken to calling it mentally _-_ and ran his hand over it in awe. He could hear the excitement in the bastard’s voice.  

  
“ _She_.”

 

Ross’ hand froze for a moment, and he turned around to face Tony slowly, a questioning brow cocked. “What?” 

  
Tony looked at him as if he were stupid. 

 

“ _She_ , not _it_. There’s a person in there, in case you didn’t know.” 

 

Realising his slip up, Ross straightened up. He was well aware that the Avengers were protective of the girl, but this no longer concerned them.

 

“Of course. And I can assure you that _she_ will be well looked after by our team of analysts-“

 

“Uh, no, no…she stays with me. I’m taking her back to the facility.” Tony moved to march over to the 

dome that Ashley was currently unconscious under, but Ross was quick to sidestep into his path, holding a halting hand out toward the billionaire.  Tony didn’t miss the slightly tensing of the guards.

 

“Easy there, Stark. She’s not going anywhere.”

 

It would be a cold day in hell when he forked the girl over to Stark. They’d been looking for her for a while now, and even though they knew to practice precaution when dealing with her, Thaddeus had no doubt that she’d be very useful.

 

“She’s not a threat to you.”

 

Tony felt panic rush through him, knowing exactly what was about to happen. But he couldn’t allow them to take her. Not only had he promised himself that he wouldn’t let them treat her like HYDRA did, but he knew that it wouldn’t end well if they isolated her from the team. The only thing that had stopped her from lashing out was the people she cared about. Without them…it was no holds barred. 

 

“She’s also an Avenger according to _you_ , and seeing as she hasn’t signed The Accords, as of now she’s considered a criminal too.”  

 

Oh, he was playing dirty. 

 

“She’s a Stark employee, you don’t have the jurisdiction to-” Tony’s volume was slowly escalating, but Ross was quick to cut him off. 

 

“Oh, I have the jurisdiction to do whatever the hell I want, Tony. Miss Conlon over here, you say she works for you? Well you work for _me_ now, so by definition, so does she.”

 

Tony’s jaw clenched at how smug the bastard seemed. He didn’t sign _Stark Industries_ over to him, so _no_ , Ashley sure as hell did _not_ work for him!

 

“That’s funny, last time I checked it was still called ' _Stark_ Industries'.” He crossed his arms defiantly, and Thaddeus could see that the billionaire was not going to drop this argument. So he would have to try a 

different approach. 

 

“Tony…I respect you. You do what needs to be done, to protect those who need protecting, a similarity we share.” He laced his fingers together professionally. “That girl is a threat to our very existence. Hell, I’ve shown you the videos: New York, Sokovia…we can’t afford another screw up. Now, Miss Conlon is more of a threat than Loki and Ultron, you know why?”

 

Tony stared at the man silently, and he took that as an indication to go on.

 

“Because she has something that neither of them had… _the Avengers_ , wrapped around her little finger.” Thaddeus raised his pinky, staring at him pointedly as if daring him to deny it. “Now I ask you, if it came down to it _for the greater good_ …could you take her life?” 

 

Tony’s dark eyes held contact for a little while longer as his jaw clenched, before they shot off to the side, choosing to avoid the question altogether.

 

“That’s what I thought.” Thaddeus murmured quietly. His attention turned towards one of the armed guards standing by the door. “I want her secured, take her to the Raft.” 

 

The guard nodded obediently, turning to leave instantly. Tony had never felt so conflicted in his life. Not only was this entire situation a giant shit-storm, but he was completely helpless. He signed The Accords, and he couldn’t do anything about Ross’ decision. 

 

All he could do, was uselessly watch through the monitor as they finally opened the dome and hauled her body out of it and into the vibranium lined transport vehicle. She would probably be waking up soon, and the last thing they needed was a claustrophobia induced panic attack to level a small town on their way. 

  
One thing was for sure, there was no way she’d be staying with them for long. Tony would make sure of it himself.

 

* * *

 

_“Father.”_

 

_She bowed her head in respect, her voice speaking the title proudly. He was a terrifying man, one who no one would dare to cross. He was sadistic, and as mad as his monicker suggested. The Mad Titan. It was fitting._

 

_“This is her?” He had sneered, looking down at the toddler in her arms with an unconvinced stare._

_She followed his gaze, forcing a smile away as she looked down to the little girl that was asleep in her arms. Thanos had been looking for someone like her for a long time. Someone who could contain the power he was willing to bestow upon them. When word had broken out across Xandar of a child who had drained the life from a boy, their scouts were quick to inform them._

 

_Her father’s curiosity had been peaked, and she had travelled to Xandar herself in order to ‘adopt’ the child from the filthy orphanage she had been kept in. The toddler had been distraught. It seemed that both the adults and other children treated her poorly out of fear, and the trembling and tearful little thing that she had laid her eyes upon had reminded her so much of herself it almost hurt._

 

_It was difficult to gain her trust, and in all honesty, she couldn’t remember the last time she had treated anything with such care. But the moment the little girl was in her arms and out of that pathetic place, she seemed to settle down. Her small arms had wrapped around her neck like a constrictor, and her sniffling had stopped by the time they reached the ship._

 

_It had taken weeks to finally get back to her father, and the girl had been stuck to her side the entire time, hiding behind her leg whenever someone would approach them, and only relaxing when they were alone together. She wouldn’t deny that she was looking forward to training the girl. She had no one, just like the girl, and it would be nice to have someone other than her pathetic ‘sister’ as a companion._

 

_“Yes, father. Her name is Azlure.”_

 

_Thanos grunted, not caring for the pathetic little bundle’s name. She was there for one purpose, and unless she proved to be useful, well…he had no use for an inept child. Nevertheless, he was eager to see if she truly was what he had been searching for, and if that was the case, she’d need the best training possible._

 

_“Take her to Gamora. She will need training.”_

 

_Her sharp eyes snapped up to the man who called himself her ‘father’, shock on her blue features._

 

_“But, fath-”_

 

_“Do as I say, Nebula.”_

 

_Her mouth snapped shut, and her gaze hardened._

 

_She really did hate her 'sister'._


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to wish you guys happy holidays and a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year if I don’t update before then. For those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a great holiday regardless, and thank you all so much for reading! 
> 
> Disclaimer: See Chapter 1, as always.
> 
> P.s. There is a lot of stuff in this chapter that relates to ch. 22 of this story. Not saying you have to re-read it, just a suggestion if you can’t remember (which is probably my fault for updating like…once a century!).

Chapter 25:

 

Steve was starting to get real sick of falling into large bodies of water…from an aircraft…with Bucky. But the truth of the matter was that without the unpredictable events that had just taken place, they would still be captive. Unfortunately, now the target on their backs was significantly larger, and while they had been taken in relatively calmly the first time, Steve had no doubt that it was no holds barred the next time around. 

 

After Bucky was taken in, the power had gone out, and the mysterious man responsible for the chaos that followed, had somehow made his old friend hostile. Actually, hostile was an understatement. But the worst part was that the guy had gotten away. They had no idea who they were looking for, or what this man wanted…though one thing was for certain, he was hellbent on ruining Bucky’s life. 

 

_What a month._

 

The Avengers were on the brink of destruction, his best friend was being hunted, Steve himself was a wanted fugitive, and Peggy Carter had passed away in her sleep. 

 

He wanted to take it easy after the Ultron fiasco, maybe chase some leads on the man currently unconscious in the abandoned warehouse, and just get his life together. He had somehow managed to blend into this era, after all these decades, and the big question that was constantly looming over his head when he didn’t have an assignment was ‘what now?’

 

He had ‘lived’ for almost a century, and he had nothing to show for it outside of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. 

 

He was snapped out of his midlife crisis when a groan echoed through the warehouse, and he and Sam were quick to make their way over to the former assassin whose cybernetic arm was currently trapped between the remaining debris of a certain helicopter. 

 

Despite all the crap that had happened in recent years, if there was one thing Steve was grateful for, it was meeting Sam Wilson. The man was as loyal as they came, and Steve sometimes wondered just what would have happened if Sam had turned him away when he and Nat were on the run. 

 

“Steve…” 

 

The man in question eyed Bucky warily. They didn’t know what had triggered that little…episode…so it would be best to be cautious until they were sure he was back in the right frame of mind.

 

“Which Bucky am I talking to?”

 

Steve felt a spike of happiness as soon as Bucky mentioned his mother, and the newspaper he would stuff in his shoes. It was a relief to know that he was remembering things from his old life as Bucky Barnes, but he knew that also meant he was remembering The Winter Soldier too. 

“What did I do?” He sounded so regretful in that moment, it actually pained Steve to see him that way. 

 

“Where is she?” His pale eyes had already studied the warehouse they were in, and he hadn’t seen any sign of her. Steve opened his mouth slightly, before closing it with a tired sigh. He knew who he was talking about.

 

“Steve…where is she?” They held eye contact for a while, and Bucky could read the answer all over the super-soldier’s face. 

 

Sam’s gaze had flickered between the two for a moment, wondering how Steve would break the news to him. In truth, he had no idea how the girl had come to even know Barnes, yet alone mean something to him. But that was something they would have to discuss another time. Right now, they were still wanted men, so he decided to take over instead.

 

“Listen, she’s alright, but…they have her.” 

 

Sam was -in all honesty- completely clueless of whether Ashley’s was really ‘alright’ or not. He had no idea if she was even conscious at the moment. They could be torturing her right now, but he had said what Barnes needed to hear. Still though, he wasn’t stupid enough to completely lie to someone who could very easily rip his head off. So he told him half of the truth. _They_ did have her after all.

 

The whirring sound that came with the clenching of Bucky’s trapped cybernetic fist was the only thing that could be heard, as his pale eyes dropped to the floor before clamping shut. Steve could see the conflict on his best friend’s face, it was in the way his brows furrowed, the way his jaw clenched, and the terrifying deadness of his eyes when he reopened them.   

  
“I knew this would happen…”

 

“Buck, I know this isn’t a great time, but I _need_ to know who he was.” Despite Steve’s curiosity when it came to Ashley and whatever relationship she had with his old friend, they needed to know who was framing Bucky. They wouldn’t be able to help anyone with a price on their heads.  

  
The former assassin, shook his head lightly, unable to recall ever meeting the man. His face wasn’t one that haunted his slumbering thoughts, so he couldn’t have been from his life as the ’Soldier’. 

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Steve sighed silently. He didn’t have the time, and surely Bucky had to at least know something about the guy. Why would he go through all the trouble, just to ruin a complete stranger? It made no sense.

 

“The bombing, the set up…The doctor did all that just to get 10 minutes with you. I need you to do better than ‘I don’t know’.” Steve’s guess was as good as Bucky’s. He truly had no idea what the man wanted from him, other than a location. 

 

“He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept.” He shook his head. “He wanted to know exactly where.”

 

“Why would he need to know that?” Despite the confusion, apprehension settled in Steve’s stomach. Something told him that he _really_ didn’t want to know the answer. God only knew what went on in that place.  
  
“Because I’m not the only Winter Soldier.”

* * *

“You let them take her away?!”

 

Natasha’s halting hand on his shoulder was the only thing keeping Pietro from flashing toward the billionaire who had finally returned to the facility. Stark was meant to negotiate to keep her safe, not let them lock her up again!  

 

“Back off, kid! I wasn’t the one who handed her over in the first place!”

 

It was harsh and he knew it, but Tony was really nearing the end of his rope. The weight on his shoulders was really starting to get to him, and the lack of control he had in the situations around him was only adding to the pressure. Ross had recently informed him of the ‘dead or alive’ status Steve had hanging over his head. The super-soldier was playing a dangerous game with his old pal Bucky, and the government no longer cared if the Cap was caught in the crossfire. 

 

The fact that he had Pietro giving him grief over something he couldn’t control -and something he _hadn’t_ caused!- only annoyed him further. Right now, Ross’ priority would be finding Steve and Barnes, which meant that Tony’s priority was _finding Steve and Barnes_. Ash still had time, and if what she had told them was true, her power would protect her from harm even if she was unconscious…which made Tony think that maybe it wasn’t _her_ that the power was protecting in the first place, but he didn’t have time to contemplate things like that.

 

“Because I thought you would help her!”

 

Pietro had decided to trust Stark. For the first time since the night his parents had been killed, Pietro trusted him with another life close to his heart…he shouldn’t have. Had he know that the billionaire would have allowed Ross to lock Ash up, he never would have made the mistake of trusting Stark again. 

 

“Well I can’t help everyone, ok?! _God. Dammit!_ I’m trying, alright? I really am, but my hands are tied, kid.” Tony’s angry shout eventually faded into a weary sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. 

 

The redhead assassin watched the man with concern. Years ago she wouldn’t have bothered letting such emotions slip onto her features, but that had changed with time. She didn’t have anyone to care about as a child, she was taught that the only person she could rely on was herself. Then there was S.H.I.E.L.D…the agency that gave her an unorthodox family. It was with S.H.I.E.L.D that she was introduced to Clint and by extension, his own wife and kids.

 

Then came the Avengers. It was more of a family than anything she had experienced before, or would experience in the future. She trusted them…and that was something that her interactions with S.H.I.E.L.D employees lacked. It was something that meant more to her than she first thought. It was nice to be able to put her trust in someone and know that it wouldn’t come back to bite her.

 

Then there was Bruce. She didn’t want to think about him right now…

 

The tension in Pietro’s expression and posture receded slightly, recognising the helplessness and stress that revealed itself in Stark’s outburst. It was similar to the helplessness he felt when they had snatched her out of his arms and sealed her off like some kind of wild animal. He knew the billionaire cared about Ash, almost as much as Pietro himself did…though in a different way entirely. 

 

So Pietro knew that if the man told him he was trying, then he really meant it. 

 

The Sokovian sighed, releasing a deep breath to calm his nerves before replying. The only thing that was going well for him, was that his sister was away from all of this. He remembered Steve’s instructions while they were en route to Romania. If anything went wrong, Pietro was relatively safe considering he signed The Accords…but Wanda? She was far from it.

 

So Clint had been called prior to their trip and he had agreed to house the girl if things went downhill. No one knew about Clint’s family, or about their cute farm house in the middle of nowhere, so Wanda was safe. _For now_.

 

The situation could be a lot worse. He reminded himself. Now all he had to do was focus and save his girl. Because _yes_ , that’s exactly what he would make her when he found her again.   

 

“I know…” 

 

Tony was surprised to hear the silent admission, but he was inwardly glad that someone was finally cutting him some slack. Still, he noticed the dejected look on the youngster’s face, and did something he never would have thought he’d ever do to the Sokovian. 

 

“Kid?” 

 

Pietro looked up in barely concealed shock when he felt Tony’s hand drop onto his shoulder reassuringly. 

 

“I’ll get her out of there. I promise.” 

 

Tony knew that making promises that someone might not be able to keep was wrong. But he had meant every word of it. He would get her out of Ross’ grasp…he’d make sure of it. 

 

Seeing the determination on the older man’s face, Pietro felt his own build up, and he nodded in agreement. With a newfound hope, he let his lips quirk up in a barely noticeable smile -something that he too had never given Tony before, and silently dismissed himself, leaving the assassin and billionaire behind. 

 

They both watched him go, Natasha’s face passive -as it had been during the whole display- and Tony’s determined features melting into a look of anger. This was the first time he had been alone with Nat since this whole fiasco started, and he wouldn’t pretend to be happy with her. It was, after all, her mouth that had blabbed to S.H.I.E.L.D. 

 

“Nothing to say?” 

 

Tony’s jaw clenched, knowing that the situation would have been so much easier if she had just kept her mouth shut. He didn’t _really_ blame her, but he needed to let off some steam and she wasn’t _completely_ innocent. 

 

Natasha’s eyes flickered away from the door that the Sokovian had just walked through, and looked over to the billionaire who was staring her down. She liked to think that her and Tony were friends in a way that not many people would understand. She had met him before she met most of the others and his unusual personality was refreshing in small doses. _Very_ small doses. Still, she sighed quietly, knowing that she was about to get an earful.

 

“I made a mistake, Tony. What do you want me to say?” 

 

That was the wrong answer in Tony’s opinion, and she knew it would be. Nat could read people easily, and she could tell Tony wanted to pick a fight long before he knew it himself. He needed someone to blame, and she’d give him that considering she _was_ partially to blame.

 

He rounded on her, face pulled into tense and straight lines. The last time he looked this confrontational, was the day that Clint had blown a hole through the hellicarrier just before Loki had escaped them to terrorise Manhattan. He had been arguing with Steve that day, but now his anger was targeting her. 

 

“You knew what she could do. You _knew_ exactly what would happen to her if they got their hands on her.” Natasha’s gaze turned to look out of the large window’s of the facility. “She’s a good kid, who’s had a rough life. Kinda like someone else I know. Now she gets to relive that all over again.”

 

Natasha’s gaze remained away from him, but her brows furrowed minutely at his words. _It wasn’t the same_ , she thought. The kid had to run from HYDRA for a few years, but she didn’t know what pain was. Not the type of pain that the Red Room taught. Natasha doubted that the girl had ever really suffered in her life at all. 

 

Her thoughts made it seem as though she didn’t like the girl at all, but that wasn’t the case. Ashley was a nice girl. _Too nice_ for someone who had supposedly suffered at the hands of HYDRA. The redhead didn’t trust her. There were things that the youngster hadn’t told them -she could _see_ it- and that was the reason she was hesitant to fawn all over like everyone else on the team. 

 

“That’s on you.” 

 

Tony’s words snapped her out of her thoughts, and she had to blink a few times to moisten her eyes after realising how dry they had become after staring out the window absentmindedly for so long. When she noticed that he was studying her expression through her reflection on the window, she schooled her features into a blank mask.

 

_‘You’re both survivors, wearing your masks with pride so that you don’t have to answer for all that you’ve done. And yeah, that works for a while…but then the day comes when you no longer have to wear it, and when it finally slips off you’re not ready to answer for anything.’_

 

**_That’s on you_. **

* * *

“So…I think we need to talk.”

 

Bucky’s pale eyes slowly drifted up from the omelette that the man - _Sam_ \- had made. It was good, but he preferred Ash’s. They had settled down in an empty house; the place was ‘for sale’ so it was easy enough to go unnoticed if they stayed away from the windows and kept the lights off, but it was only temporary. Steve was already talking about how they would be leaving in the morning to chase the lead they had on Siberia. 

 

They knew that Stark and his little followers would be their biggest obstacle, but Steve and Sam were already planning to gather a few friend’s of their own. That’s actually where Sam had gone about 20 minutes ago. 

 

“About?” He mumbled a response.

 

“I think you already know.” Steve shot him a knowing look.

 

They held eye contact for a few seconds, before Bucky sighed in defeat, gently dropping the fork to his plate and looking away when he realised that his old friend would not let this go.

 

“What do you wanna know?”

 

Steve took a moment to think about it. There were a lot of things on his mind. A lot he wanted to know, and a lot he didn’t understand. 

 

“How do you know her? How _long?_ ” It was a good starting point, he thought.

 

Bucky’s brows furrowed in thought, trying to arrange his memories in order. He remembered his times with her, considering they were fairly recent, and he guessed that he had known her for a few years by now. He told Steve as much.

 

“I met her a few years back - 4, I think…I was the one that brought her in.” He shrugged his cybernetic shoulder as if it didn’t bother him at all to think about, but it did. More than Steve knew. 

 

Steve blinked in surprise. He vaguely remembered Ashley telling them that she was being followed, and that she was eventually caught by HYDRA, but never in a million years would he have guess that Bucky would have been the one to bring her in. It made sense, he supposed, considering how difficult it would be to detain her in the first place. They’d need their best to bring her in, and there was no doubt that _he_ was the very best. 

 

“She seems strangely comfortable around someone who handed her over to HYDRA…” Steve had been questioning the nature of their relationship since the moment he found them together, and he had a feeling that this whole situation wouldn’t end well if his thoughts were confirmed. “Unless there’s more to it than that.”

 

Bucky wasn’t stupid, and even though he knew that Steve was his old friend and that he meant well, there were some things that he wanted to keep to himself. Ash was one of those things. Their time together came during a period where Steve would never have recognised his old friend, and for some reason, the former assassin wanted to keep his Winter Soldier days separated from his pre-Winter Soldier days. 

 

But he knew that he had to at least give Steve something. She was his friend after all, and if the super soldier didn’t get the answers from his old friend, Bucky had no doubt that he’d get them from his new friend…as soon as he got her back.

 

 _And I will_ , he promised himself. 

 

Steve watched the brunette run a hand through his oily hair lazily. They hadn’t showered since their impromptu swim earlier, choosing food over comfort after their recent captivity. 

 

“They ordered me to train her. Prepare her for combat, because they wanted her to be another asset.”

 

“And you did?” Supplied the blonde.

 

Bucky nodded slowly, picking his fork up again and taking another bite before replying.

 

“Yeah, but she was smart, man.” He smiled a small but somewhat proud smile, and Steve felt a small one forming on his own face at the sight. It had been a long time since he had seen his old friend smile about anything. 

 

Bucky shook his head in slight exasperation. “She knew. She knew exactly what the wanted and she wouldn’t give it to them.” His smile fell, and the mood in the room suddenly became sombre. “They would ask for her cooperation, and she’d always say ‘no’. It worked for a long time because they had nothing to threaten her with.”

 

Steve frowned at that: ‘a long time’. It made him wonder if it ever _stopped_ working.

 

“You gotta understand, she had no family, no friends…nothing. Until…” Bucky blinked hard, his brows furrowing as he realised that he had said more than he initially wanted to. 

 

“Until…?” Steve gently pushed, but the closed off look in his Bucky’s eyes told him that he wouldn’t be getting any more information out of him. 

 

_Until…_

 

_…then she had to smile at him. That soft and warm smile that could melt ice. If she hadn’t done it, perhaps he wouldn’t have responded as he did. But that smile had that familiar feeling forcing him to to do one more thing._

 

_So he kissed her…_

 

They tortured him after that. 

 

_’Stop it! Stop! Leave him alone!’_

 

He was grateful in a way, that they wiped his mind so often. It was the only thing that kept him from remembering that they made her watch as they electrocuted him. He became the leverage they needed, a way to force her to use her power to save him -it was electricity after all. But they hadn’t realised that it was ironically _because_ of him that she wouldn’t. 

 

She could kill him, and she wouldn’t take that risk. 

 

These were the common nightmares that haunted him, the ones he didn’t know she had witnessed while they were in Romania. But it was all in the past now, and that was where it would stay. He didn’t want Steve knowing about that, he didn’t want to talk about it in the first place.

 

Thankfully he was saved from having to respond, the loud shrill of Steve’s cellphone interrupting their conversation. 

 

Bucky finished off his omelette by the time Steve was done on the phone. It looked like he had some good news, judging by his lack of tension for the first time in days. 

 

“Sam called, said he found his guy. We need to wash up and hit the road, then we’ll pick up a few friends and meet up somewhere.” 

 

Bucky nodded slowly, hesitant to accept that but he had to deal with it. He had worked alone for so long that it was strange to have a…team. He didn’t even know these people and he had no doubt that they knew him. It was unlikely that they would be accepting of his presence after all that he had done in his past, but he didn’t really have a choice. He needed to get to Siberia without Stark and his followers getting in the way, and this was the only way to do that.

 

Who knows? Maybe if he even helped them now, they’d return the favour later and help him get Ash back. But he wouldn’t rely on that thought. He’d get her back himself. 

 

“Alright, suit up.” He smirked lightly, ignoring the surprised look on Steve’s face at his words and headed off for a quick shower. 

 

It was time to get the ball rolling.

* * *

“Man, I’m turnin’ the radio on.”

 

“Sounds good, it’s a damn long drive…” The driver of the heavily fortified van reached for the volume knob, his eyes darting away from the road as he turned up the radio and switched through the different channels. 

 

_Pop, pop, too much techno, more pop, ooooh classic rock! Much bett-_

 

“Oh shit!”

His friend in the passenger seat only had a moment to register the obstruction that had just dented the bitumen of the road, before he jerked the van left harshly, attempting to avoid a collision. The car swerved in an attempt to avoid the newly formed crater, its tires catching on the raised bitumen. They were unconscious by the second flip of the vehicle, barely alive when the van’s screeching metal side stopped sliding and was finally halted by a thick tree trunk.

 

The vibranium lined door at the back was ripped off with startling strength, belonging to someone that Ashley hadn’t expected to see again. 

 

She had felt the panicked swerve of the vehicle, and instantly knew what would follow. Vibranium cuffs be damned, her power had shot out to protectively surround her. The gravity free capsule suspended her in the back of the van while it was thrown every which way. By the time it had finally slowed down, her brain had caught up with what was happening. 

 

She knew something very powerful had caused the crash…she could feel it. So she braced herself, whatever it was, wouldn’t go down without a fight. Ashley almost flinched when the large metal door was so easily torn off of the strong hinges.  

 

What she saw when her eyes adjusted to the bright light now seeping through the gaping hole, had stunned her into silence.

 

“Lady Ashley! My sincere apologies…are you harmed?” 

 

She couldn’t believe her eyes.

 

“ _Thor?_ ” 

* * *

 

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient, and to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, favourite or follow this story.
> 
> No excuses, on with the show!
> 
> If you see any mistakes please let me know and I’ll fix ‘em ASAP!
> 
> Disclaimer: See chapter 1…

 

 Chapter 26:

“36 hours…Barnes, Rogers, Wilson.”

 

“Thank you, sir.”

_36 hours._

 

Tony rubbed anxiously at a spot on his chest, the stress of the situation painted clearly on his exasperated face. Ross had just given them 36 hours to detain Steve, Sam and The Winter Soldier. Tony thought it wasn’t so bad…he worked better under pressure. But that didn’t stop the variety of colourful expletives flooding his mind as he stared the man down while he walked out to answer a phone call.

 

Despite their previous argument, well…it was hardly an argument -more like Tony working off some of his anger by yelling at her- the billionaire shared a look with Natasha. They hid it well, but this was not something either of them wanted to be doing. It was still better than the alternative though, and that was the only reason they _would_ do it.

 

_Special Ops? Pfft…please_ , Tony thought. As if _they_ would be enough to take down Steve and Barnes alone. But Ross was adamant, and as the man in question snarled at his phone with a hand on his hip in agitation and anger seeping from his tense frame, Tony knew he’d do whatever it took to bring Steve and his buddies in. _Whatever_ it took.

 

“My left arm is numb, is that normal?” He shook the arm out in forced amusement, but Natasha could see the stress eating at him.

 

“You alright?” Her concern was clear, and she gave the billionaire a comforting pat on the shoulder as she made her way over. Tony didn’t miss a beat.

 

“Always.” His lips quirked up in his usual little smirk, but they both knew how forced the action was.

 

“36 hours, jeez.” Tony murmured quietly.

 

Natasha nodded along, each of them trying to find a quick and easy solution to a problem that had _no_ quick or easy solution.

 

“We’re seriously understaffed.”

 

Tony almost scoffed in half-hearted amusement, but he knew Natasha was just trying to ease her mind - and his own. “Oh yeah.”

 

“Be great if we had a Hulk right about now, any shot?” Tony leaned back in his chair, half serious, even though he knew there was no chance in finding the ‘Big Guy’ -especially in a 36 hour window.

 

Natasha’s lips tugged up in a rueful smile. Even if they could find Bruce, she doubted it would do them any good.

 

“You really think he’d be on our side?”

 

Tony almost winced at the thought. He knew Bruce would likely align with the Cap’s point of view in this situation, and for a moment he was even glad that Bruce wasn’t there. It was uncomfortable to think about not only the scolding that Banner would have given him, but how Ross would react to a threat from The Hulk. Tony himself had been on the receiving end of a beating back when Wanda had tampered with Bruce’s mind, he really wouldn’t be ready for another round if that’s what the situation eventually (inevitably) came to.

 

So that left one very important question…who else could they count on right now?

 

Half the team was missing, no…more than half. Steve and Sam were on the run, Wanda was MIA just like Bruce was, Clint was out of this whole mess in the first place, Cap…well, Cap was long gone. It wasn’t a good situation for anyone.

 

Other than Rhodey and Vision, Pietro was funnily enough the only person that Tony and Natasha could rely on at the moment. And if they were being honest, the kid was probably going to end up a turncoat in the end.

 

They were on their own…and they needed help. They needed a _team_.

 

“I have an idea.”

 

Tony looked over at Natasha, nodding in acceptance.

 

“Me too.” His face twisted in a way that said ‘it’s a long shot, but it’s all I got’.

 

“Where’s yours?”

 

Natasha’s brow inched up slightly, wondering how he knew to ask ‘ _where_ ’ rather than ‘ _what_ ’. But she knew she shouldn’t have been surprised. He may have acted like a jock, but Stark was nerd at heart.

 

“Downstairs.”

 

“Where’s _yours?_ ”

 

The beginnings of a smile appeared on the billionaire’s face, but before he could answer, the doors were thrown open again and an agitated Ross was barking at the men trailing after him nervously.

 

“I want know when the hell this happened, and how 6 armed vehicles ended up as scrap metal on the side of the road!”

 

After quickly stuttering an affirmative response, they scattered and Ross’ rage found a new target.

 

“You better not have had anything to do with this, Stark!” He pointed a stern finger at the genius.

 

Tony cocked a brow, jaw ticking in agitation. Why did everyone always assume he caused all of the trouble?

 

“That depends, you wanna let me know exactly what we’re accusing me of?”

 

Ross shot him a glare, absentmindedly waving a hand toward one of the men that had come in with him.

 

“Pull up the footage.”

 

The older man tugged his bottom lip into his mouth, both hands on his hips with his head slightly shaking in disbelief. His posture screamed: ‘Can this day get any worse?’

 

The video seemed to be taken from a helicopter, and Tony’s brows furrowed as he walked over to the wide-screen. The chopper was circling a scene on the road, the familiar reinforced vehicles strewn across the road, some upside down and in the tree line, others flaming and crushed as if they had exploded. _They probably did_ , he thought.

 

But it was the large crater in the middle of the road that caught Tony’s attention. He didn’t know what could make that much of an impact other than the Hulk, but he knew that was practically impossible. Bruce didn’t even know Ash…wait, Ash!

 

“Where is she?” He whipped around to face Thaddeus, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his features.

 

“You tell me.” Ross pinned him with a stern look. He really wasn’t messing around anymore. Anything that could have gone wrong _had_ gone wrong. He had three fugitives to deal with and the girl- the freak science experiment- she had escaped with what he was sure was outside intervention. Someone had helped her, and he wanted to know who.

 

“Tony’s been here this entire time, you know that.”

 

Natasha spoke up, an edge to her words that somehow made Ross simmer down. Thaddeus knew that Tony never really _needed_ to be somewhere to have an impact, he could use his little gadgets from the other side of the planet if he wanted to, but he also knew that the billionaire had too much on his plate to coordinate a prison break.

 

“I’ve got 32 men either dead or dying, I want to know who or _what_ helped her get out of there and then I want you track her down.” He directed the last part of the order at Tony, raising his brows as if daring the billionaire to refuse.

 

Tony always did love a good dare.

 

“I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

 

“Cut the crap, Tony. You found her once, you can do it again.” Ross’ eyes pinned them each with an expectant look. “And remember, thirt-“

 

“Thirty-six hours, yeah, thanks…we got it.” Tony smiled falsely, earning nothing in response other than a short glare before the older man turned on his heel and left the room.

 

“Well…you heard the man.” His eyes widened in exasperation and he shot an amused little smirk Natasha’s way. “Let’s get to work.”

 

He had to get to Queens, ASAP.

* * *

**45 minutes earlier…**

 

_"Oh, shit!"_

_His friend in the passenger seat only had a moment to register the obstruction that had just dented the bitumen of the road, before he jerked the van left harshly, attempting to avoid a collision. The car swerved in an attempt to avoid the newly formed crater, its tires catching on the raised bitumen._

_They were unconscious by the second flip of the vehicle, barely alive when the van's screeching metal side stopped sliding and was finally halted by a thick tree trunk._

_The vibranium lined door at the back was ripped off with startling strength, belonging to someone that Ashley hadn't expected to see again._

_She had felt the panicked swerve of the vehicle, and instantly knew what would follow. Vibranium cuffs be damned, her power had shot out to protectively surround her. The gravity free capsule suspended her in the back of the van while it was thrown every which way. By the time it had finally slowed down, her brain had caught up with what was happening._

_She knew something very powerful had caused the crash…she could feel it. So she braced herself, whatever it was, wouldn't go down without a fight. Ashley almost flinched when the large metal door was so easily torn off of the strong hinges._

_What she saw when her eyes adjusted to the bright light now seeping through the gaping hole, had stunned her into silence._

_"Lady Ashley! My sincere apologies…are you harmed?"_

_She couldn't believe her eyes._

_"Thor?"_

 

The Asgardian gave his usual wide grin, nodding once in response. Ash let out a breathy and disbelieving chuckle. This was certainly not expected, but she wasn’t complaining. Realising that her captors would have been alerted by now, the brunette crawled out of the van, giving the Norse god beside her a quick thanks when he steadied her.

 

“What are you doing here? Not that I’m not grateful, of course…” she quickly added.

 

The blonde stared at her for a moment, searching her eyes for something she wasn’t aware of. It seemed like he was silent for an age, but it was merely a few seconds. Deciding that he was satisfied with what he found, Thor sighed.

 

“I have been shown something…something that bodes ill for the both of us.” His face was uncharacteristically grim, and her own smile fell to match it.

 

“What were you shown?”

 

“I-“ He cut himself off, suddenly pushing her to the ground -perhaps a little harder than he intended. But Ash held back her annoyance when she heard gunfire tear through the silence, and saw the bullet ricochet off of the vibranium door she was just standing in front of. In the blink of an eye, Mjölnir was hurtling through the air, and even Ash pitied the poor soul who was sent hurtling along with it until it was finally called back to its master.

 

She didn’t doubt that it had probably killed the man…they were only mortal after all. Though he had opened fire first, and thankfully his companions had stopped to watch him face Thor’s hammer rather than following his lead.

 

Thor’s eyes narrowed at the men who had trained their weapons on them, as if silently telling them to hold fire - _or else_. They seemed to take the silent command, but that didn’t stop them from shouting out, shaky voices trying to summon as much courage as possible as they ordered the prisoner and god to stand down.

 

Ash’s gaze flickered between the man beside her and the small army standing against them. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that they would open fire at any moment, their nerves would no doubt get the better of them.

 

“I’ll take the right, you can take the left?”

 

Her dark eyes snapped up to the god, who raised a questioning brow with a small smirk on his face. She almost returned it, before realising the only thing that was halting her was also impossible to remove.

 

“Uh…I’m a little tied up at the moment.” Ash raised her shackled hands in explanation, but the smug look she received from the blonde made her nervous. What was he planning?

 

“Luckily I brought this.”

 

Ashley’s lips parted slightly, her brows furrowing when he unsheathed a familiar blade. She had absolutely no idea how he had managed to find the golden dagger, especially considering where she had left it, but she laughed anyway. He was full of surprises.

 

“How did you get that?”

 

He simply smiled, gently grasping her forearm and running the blade over the metal just as gently. It tore through as if it were paper, the clean cut glowing for a moment before the shackles fell to the ground, completely useless.

 

“Heimdall sees more than just people, my friend.” He grinned.

 

The blade was something special, and very valuable. By now, Thor had accepted that there was much about the woman he wouldn’t know for a long while, but he wouldn’t question her until they were safe.

 

All he _did_ know was that much like himself, she was not of this world, and the blade in his hand had belonged to a Valkyrie. The enchantment allowing it to cut through anything. Like Mjölnir, it could be used as a weapon -to destroy, or a tool -to build. He didn’t know who had given it to her, but it was a fine gift indeed. She would no doubt be needing it very soon.

 

The months had passed slowly in Asgard, with trouble brewing throughout the nine realms. Heimdall had told Thor of much, including the ever-present darkness that was forming in distant worlds. Something was coming, something powerful and unstoppable, and it was coming for the woman before him. She held a stone, that much was known, and even the Allfather had been notified of such things. In fact, it was Odin who had encouraged Thor to aid the woman in the first place. However, unlike his father had requested, Thor wouldn’t be retrieving the woman right away.

 

Heimdall had already told the blonde of the trouble his friends had gotten themselves into, and he knew that they needed her right now, far more than he did.

 

Ash’s lips quirked up while she rubbed her wrists, it was good to feel the power surging. With a quiet sigh, she turned to look back at the men cowering behind the opened doors of their vehicles, guns still trained on them. One of them was still barking orders, but hardly anyone was paying him any attention.

 

“Alright…let’s give ‘em hell, big guy.”

 

Thor grunted in approval, Mjölnir spinning in his grip like a propeller. And then they were off, with bursts of green and a crack of thunder overhead that promised pain.

 

* * *

 

Bucky felt strange sitting in the back of the Volkswagen Beetle that Steve had managed to _borrow_. He was used to military vehicles, the real tough stuff that he didn’t feel so very vulnerable in. But he would remind himself that their location was currently unknown, and there was less of a chance of it _becoming_ known in something as inconspicuous as this.

 

Still, the cramped back seat was uncomfortable and his legs barely had enough space to fit behind the seat that Sam Wilson was currently occupying. They had just retrieved some gear from the woman… _Sharon?_ Bucky couldn’t really remember her name, which wasn’t all too surprising considering he had never even met her before. All he knew was that they were going to meet a friend of Steve’s now, one who could really help them in their current situation.

 

Clint Barton.

 

He knew the name. The man was one of S.H.I.E.L.D’s finest and had caused HYDRA a lot of grief over the years. Despite knowing that Steve would undoubtedly support him if need be, Bucky felt a tinge of…not worry, it was something else. A strange feeling that he couldn’t quite place, but he could label it ‘worry’ for now.

 

So he _worried_ that he wouldn’t be welcome amongst the others, those he knew to be Avengers. He wasn’t a hero…he was far from it, the furthest from it he could be. He hadn’t done good things, he hadn’t saved people and he hadn’t cared for the consequences.

 

But he was trying.

 

He didn’t set that bombing up, and he knew that. Now they just needed to find a way of convincing everyone else that he was innocent. He didn’t really see that happening any time soon, but despite the fact that he was no longer ’The Winter Soldier’, he still possessed his skill set.

 

And if anyone could get themselves out of this situation, it was him.

 

But he wouldn’t be alone.

 

Steve glanced back at his old pal through the rear-view mirror, his brows furrowing in concern when he noted the blank expression the former assassin wore as he gazed out the window at the passing scenery.

 

Despite the circumstances, Steve wouldn’t lie by saying he wasn’t relieved to have his old friend back. Bucky wasn’t the same man he had known as a child, but he didn’t need to be. All that mattered was that he was here, out of HYDRA’s reach and hopefully on the road to recovery -mentally.

 

And now that Steve had finally found the former assassin who had been almost impossible to track in the years since he had saved him after the Triskelion incident, he would stand by him no matter what. Even if that meant going up against Ross and the authorities…even if it meant going up against Tony and the rest of his friends.

 

Funnily enough it was Tony’s words that rang through his mind as motivation in the past few days.

 

_"To hell with the greater good, Cap! I'm all for the bigger picture, but I'm tired of sacrificing the people in my life for people who don't even give a damn."_

 

That’s what the billionaire had told him, and Steve finally understood. He knew what was about to happen, and even though he’d rather not deal with what he was sure would be a disaster, he knew it was necessary. There were times in life when you had to toughen up and get a job done, regardless of whatever expectations the world had of you. This was one of those times.

 

With his determined gaze set on the road, Steve pulled into the parking complex, Level 6 like Clint had said. The silver van was already waiting for them when Steve parked the VW Beetle. Before they even had a chance to exit the vehicle, Clint was striding over with a very ‘Clint Barton’ smirk tugging on his lips.

 

“Cap.” The archer nodded in greeting, extending a hand which Steve shook warmly. The super-soldier shot a quick smile over Clint’s shoulder in greeting when he realised that Wanda had joined them.

 

“You know I wouldn’t have called if I had any other choice.”

 

Although Clint had been surprised when Steve had given him a call a week back and asked him to watch over Wanda if things went down hill, the archer was happy to help. The Avengers were his family _away_ from his family, and when Pietro had risked his life in Sokovia to save him and the boy from Ultron’s attack…well, he had red in his ledger.

 

“Hey man, you’re doing me a favour.” Clint shrugged lightly, his head nodding backward toward the Sokovian as he continued. “Besides, I owe a debt.”

 

Steve nodded in understanding, his eyes trailing back over to the van. “How ‘bout our other recruit?”

 

Clint wasted no time in marching over to the van and sliding the door open.

 

“He’s raring to go! Might need to put a little coffee in him, but should be good.”

 

The man inside jolted at the noise, seemingly just waking up. Steve looked over to Sam in question, who crossed his arms defensively after remembering the beating that he took at the Facility. Either way, Sam gave the super-soldier a nod. This was their guy.

 

Bucky watched on as the somewhat strange newcomer greeted Steve with a handshake that stretched a little _too_ long. Truthfully, the former assassin was just glad that they hadn’t really paid him any attention just yet. Meeting Barton at that moment had made him question whether the man would really care about his past in the first place…from first glance he didn’t seem like someone who was bothered by too much.

 

The pleasantries were cut short when an alarm sounded in the distance, and a man spoke in rapid German over the PA system. Bucky frowned when he heard the man announce an evacuation of the airport, and decided to translate to the rest of the group who seemed to finally take notice of him when he spoke up.

 

There was only one word on everyone’s mind, and Steve grimaced.

 

**_Stark._ **

 

It looked like Bucky was right after all…it _did_ always end in a fight.

 

With a steely resolve, the Captain gave out his first order.

 

“Suit up.”

 

* * *

 

“Nice outfit.”

 

Ash chuckled at the surprise in his tone, glancing down at the black suit that Tony had created for her.

 

“Thanks, I thought I’d dress for the occasion.”

 

Thor’s small smile weakened at the thought of his friends fighting, but he knew there was nothing he could do to prevent such a thing. He wished he could help in someway, but the most he could do was return the woman he had freed to them. His father had explicitly stated that he could not linger for long. Asgard and the nine realms needed his undivided attention…he wasn’t even allowed to visit Jane yet!

 

“Hey, listen…I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

 

Ash sighed lightly as she tucked a knife into one of the many sheaths that she had been given for her suit. It felt a little tighter than before, but she supposed it was only normal considering it had been made just after they had rescued her from HYDRA. She was bound to put on a few extra pounds now that her diet wasn’t predominantly liquid.

 

“It is no trouble. We are friends after all.” Thor smiled widely, as if that was enough of an answer to justify all he had just done for her.

 

She couldn’t keep the small smile off of her face. They had spoken about the _real_ reason for Thor’s ‘visit’ after they had… _dealt with_ Ross’ men. While Thor had tried to resist harming the mortals too much, she had no problem with making them hurt. She hadn’t thrown the first punch after all, and that was the only thing that mattered.

 

It had taken them a while to get back to the US, and Ash had no doubt that her fear of helicopters was probably non-existent after experiencing what it was like to hurtle through the air with only a hammer and Norse god to keep you company. Needless to say, Thor thought her terrified screams were hilarious…at least one of them was having fun. But she understood that it was necessary.

 

Organisations could now monitor some weird kind of atmospheric readings or whatever (science wasn’t her thing), and that meant that the Bifrost that Thor kept talking about was out of the question…for now.

 

“You know I owe you for this…whenever you need anything, you know where to find me.”

 

Thor gave her a grateful nod, knowing that she was referring to the conversation he had initiated with her as soon as they had arrived at the Tower - he had finally told her what he had been shown. Much was discussed and they both had plenty to think about, but that wasn’t relevant at the moment. So instead of replying, the God of Thunder merely held out her final blade, the gold glinting even in minimal lighting.

 

Ash accepted it hesitantly, weighing it in her hand while her mind wandered to the day she had first received it. It had been a while since she thought of her sister, longer than she liked to admit. Remembering that she wasn’t alone, the brunette shook the thoughts from her mind, swiftly sheathing the blade.

 

“Ready?”

 

Ashley gave her room a final look, her dark eyes taking in the green designs that Tony had taken the time to arrange for her. It kinda felt like… _goodbye_.

 

With that thought in mind, she removed the small USB from beneath her mattress. She stared at it long and hard, having an internal debate. But she knew that ultimately the decision was already made.

 

Thor watched as the young woman gave the small device a light squeeze before slowly and reluctantly placing her secret on top of her untouched bed. She owed it to them.

 

“Ready.”

 

* * *

 

“Do we tell him?”

 

Tony cocked an unimpressed brow as his chest plate clicked into place, his eyes flickering to the bulky form that stood with his arms crossed out of ear shot. The airport was on lockdown and it would only be a matter of time until Steve made an appearance, now all they had to do was wait.

 

“What? That his sweetheart is out there somewhere terrorising local law enforcement?”

 

Natasha rolled her eyes, adjusting the cuffs around her wrists that allowed her to fire the charged chips that she so frequently liked to use. She knew it was risky, not telling Pietro about what was going on. They both knew that of all the people he had met in the last year, Ashley was his favourite. They also knew that he was aware of Wanda’s whereabouts, but they had snowball’s chance in hell in getting that out of him.

 

“Your call, but he’s not going to be happy when he finds out.”

 

Tony already knew that. He had known the moment he found them sitting together at the Tower, once upon a time when the Sokovian was still trying to convince himself he hated the girl he now so clearly…liked? loved? The extent was the only thing Tony didn’t know. But he’d put money on the latter.

 

“Yeah, well…we need him right now, and if we tell him do you honestly think he’ll stick around?”

They both knew the answer to that.

 

It was like asking if Bruce came back, would Nat stick around? Or if Pepper came back, would Tony?

 

Not likely. Even now as they stood waiting for the evacuation to end, Nat and Tony could see the impatient bouncing of Pietro’s leg. He was eager to finish this, to meet up with his sister, hand the Soldier over, and then find his girl. The genius knew that if Pietro found out that Ash was free, he’d hightail it out of there in the blink of an eye. The only reason he had stuck around this long was because he thought detaining Barnes for Ross would earn him some kind of favour…and he hoped that would be enough to guarantee him Ashley back.

 

“Tony?”

 

Rhodey’s voice cut through the silence, earning Tony’s attention instantly.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“We got him.”

 

The billionaire sent a reassuring nod Natasha’s way, his mask slamming shut with the familiar glowing blue eyes that belonged to the Ironman.

 

“Alright, it’s showtime.”

 

* * *

 

Bucky wouldn’t admit to anyone that his pride had taken a hit after that… _spider-thing_ had so easily taken him and Sam out. He was only a kid, but that didn’t mean he didn’t pack a punch. But after Sam had finally managed to knock the kid out of the window, it was back to the real fight. Which was the fight against the ‘doctor’.

 

Plan A was to get to the quinjet so that they could get to Siberia as soon as possible. His memories of the other super-soldiers were downright terrifying in terms of what they could do. Sure, they were like him, but even ’The Winter Soldier’ had more humanity than those beasts did. Unleashing them would be a disaster, which is exactly why they had to get out of there as soon as possible.

 

If Stark and the authorities weren’t so damn ignorant then they would have figured it out a long time ago. They’d be doing anything in their power to make sure the man who was currently tearing the team even further apart than the Accords, was caught before he could do any more damage.

 

But they weren’t doing that.

 

Why? Because it was easier to blame someone they knew was a murderer, than believe for one second that Steve wasn’t being biased because of said murderer’s identity. So that left it to them to make sure that an even bigger threat was avoided, and it was damn hard now that they had several other gifted individuals fighting to detain anyone even remotely associated with Bucky or Steve.

 

He also hadn’t forgotten about the fact that he had yet another problem on his hands, one that might be even more difficult to deal with.

 

Ashley was detained, that much was apparently certain according to Steve and Sam. It wasn’t so much the fact that she was detained that was the problem, more the fact that she was detained _by the government_ and most likely had an army standing between herself and freedom. It would be impossible to break into whatever facility they were keeping her in without maximum casualties. While this fact wouldn’t have bothered him in the past, he couldn’t bring himself to do it now. The people guarding her were just doing their jobs, and he wasn’t a murderer. Not when he had a choice.

 

So he’d have to figure that one out when they got out of their current predicament. For the time being, he and Sam had met up with the rest of the team and were making a break for it. The quinjet was in view, parked on the other side of the airport runway.

 

Unfortunately their hopes of a clear escape were shot down -literally- when the one they called ‘Vision’ seemingly appeared out of nowhere to fire a yellow blast from his… _forehead?_ Bucky’s brows scrunched together at the sight, but they were all quick to stand back as Vision drew a line before them, almost daring them to cross it.

 

“Captain Rogers! I know you believe that what you are doing is right…but for the collective good, you must surrender now.”

 

Steve’s gaze hardened as Tony landed beside his creation, carrying Natasha with him, while Rhodey did the same with the royal who had it out for his best friend. A blue blur signalled Pietro’s arrival, and the young Sokovian gave his sister a reassuring nod before his hard glare settled on Bucky. The kid that Steve had seen earlier -a fan of his, apparently- swung down from one of his webs, and Steve realised that was it. The fight had finally come.

 

“What do we do, Cap?” Sam spoke up quietly from beside him, but the rest of the team standing along side them had heard.

 

“We fight.” Steve didn’t even hesitate, his words spoken with conviction as the two teams approached each other.

 

What was originally a walk, quickly became a run...and then fists were flying.

 

Steve had naturally taken on Tony, which was perhaps not an entirely equally matched pairing, but it seemed fitting and the super-soldier held his own quite well.

 

T’challa and Bucky were facing off beside them, a rapid and precise exchange of blows that seemed to be favouring the man currently fuelled by the death of his father.

 

Pietro shot around much like he had when the Avengers had first fought the twins, back when they were allied with Ultron. He went unseen, aiming a solid punch here and there whenever he deemed it necessary. Of course he wouldn’t target his sister, and in truth he had nothing against any of Steve’s ’team’. He agreed with the super-soldier’s view more than he agreed with Stark’s, but he needed Barnes. He needed the former assassin apprehended.

 

If that meant he had to go up against his friends to do so, then he would.

 

Amidst the chaos around them, only one person seemed to notice the sky light up with the golden light that they had so often come to associate with everyone’s favourite god. The swirl of colours and the patterns etched onto the runway signalled a new arrival, and Tony sighed in exasperation.

 

“ _Please_ be on our side…”

 

An angry Thor was not what he needed right now.

 

Surprisingly enough, the figure currently stood on the other side of the runway near the quinjet, was not who he had expected.

 

Travelling by Bifrost was nothing like Thor had described. As Ash stood there breathing like she’d just run a marathon, hands outstretched and knees bent while waiting for her organs to catch up to her, she mentally cursed the god. He made it sound so casual…

_It is merely like moving through one of Tony’s devices…an elevator, I believe they call it._

_An elevator, my ass!_ There Thor was, acting like she hadn’t just shot through the sky in a giant starry rainbow! It was the stuff of every little kid’s dreams…but she really wouldn’t recommend it. She was still convinced she’d lost a lung somewhere in there.

 

“Well look who finally decided to show up.”

 

Tony continued firing at whatever caught his attention from afar, whether it was stray vehicles being throw about, or current rivals that could take a hit (he tried to avoid Clint seeing as he was ill prepared to defend against blasts). He’d leave Clint for hand-to-hand, something that Nat had no problem engaging in apparently, even if it was against her oldest friend.

 

Ash’s eyes widened as she slowly made her way over. Thor had told her that her friends would be needing her soon, she suddenly understood exactly what he meant. What was happening? Hell, even Clint and Natasha were exchanging blows!

 

With a grim frown she jogged over unnoticed, toward the man who had saved her what seemed like years ago. The Ironman hovered before her, facing the fight and firing, but she knew Tony was waiting to talk to her.

“What the hell are you doing, Tony? This is ridiculous!”

 

He didn’t turn to look at the face that no doubt held the same amount of anger as her tone, deciding to not beat around the bush.

 

“You with me or against me, Consuela?”

 

She flinched as something red and blue went hurtling into a jetway.

 

“You know I can’t pick sides here.”

 

Tony sighed, knowing it was a lost cause. She would never side with him, regardless of their friendship. He didn’t really blame her, knowing that Ross was frothing at the mouth when it came to capturing her. This time Tony wouldn’t allow it, but she still wouldn’t help him. Not while Barnes -for whatever reason- was so close to her.

 

“Can’t or won’t?”

 

She almost huffed at the question, her eyes distractedly glancing around as she tried to find her closest friends. Wanda was kicking some serious ass, but what caught her attention was Bucky -who was about to get his ass seriously kicked if he didn’t notice the ‘cat-suit guy’ sneaking up behind him.

 

“Both.”

 

Tony finally turned to face her, watching as she sent a jolt of green toward the royal who looked ready to pounce at Barnes, the latter remained unaware of the man who was sent hurtling behind his back. Tony cocked a brow even though he knew she couldn’t see it.

 

“I kinda think you already did.”

 

Ash turned to look at the familiar suit, scoffing indignantly at his words.

 

“Yeah, well I kinda think your ‘team’ served me up to the feds, so we can call it even.”

 

She couldn’t see the way Tony’s jaw clenched, but he was a little pissed. He had been willing to try anything and everything to get her out of Ross’ reach, and he would have done so, straight after he dealt with his current situation. But apparently she had no problem killing a bunch of people to get herself out anyway. At least now he knew who the ‘outside intervention’ was, and Ross was probably joining the dots now that they had likely been alerted to the spike in energy that the Bifrost gave.

 

“That’s not on me. You can blame Romeo for that.”

 

Her eyes soften as she sighed, ignoring the Romeo comment. She didn’t want to play the blame game, it really didn’t matter to her at all. She was there now, but these people…this group of people that had saved her and showed her what a team -a _family_ \- could be like, we’re tearing everything they stood for apart.

 

After everything they had faced together, it seemed the only thing able to stand between them was themselves.

 

“I’m not blaming anyone, Tony. But there’s a storm coming…and you can bet your ass you’ll need all of the Avengers on the same team when it does. Stop this.”

 

She spoke of things he didn’t yet understand. Things he couldn’t understand until they were standing on his doorstep, and they _would be_ soon. Thanos _was_ coming, she knew it. Soon they would face death and destruction of a magnitude they had neither seen nor imagined before, and when that time came…no one would be safe. United, as they so often were, The Avengers stood no chance against the power of Thanos. Divided? They would be the first to fall.

 

“How many lines are we going to cross before we finally realise we’re doing more harm than good? We needed to be put in check, half the damn team is ‘wanted’ and I’m the bad guy for trying to limit the damage?”

 

His intentions were noble, she’d give him that. But had it really taken 4 years of constant global threats to finally decide this? There were casualties in every war, that was inevitable. The aim was to endure as a race, not survive as individuals. Besides, The Avengers themselves were formed by the government, yet when it came to taking the blame they were punished as if they were a group of vigilantes.

 

Still, as she took his words into account she couldn’t help but snort sarcastically.

 

“You call this ‘limiting the damage’? I won’t let you or anyone hurt the people I care about, Tony. Just like I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

 

Tony steeled his nerves, knowing that he couldn’t keep debating in the middle of a showdown. He had a job to do. He didn’t want to do it, but he had to.

 

“Well, you’re outta luck, kiddo.”

 

Ash didn’t even have enough time to process the movement before his hand was outstretched as she felt the powerful blast against her chest, sending her sailing a few feet back into the air until she hit the ground with a ‘thud’.

 

Pushing herself up onto all fours, her angry green gaze snapped up to where the billionaire had last been, only to find him gone.

 

If he wanted a fight, he’d get one.

 

Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen right now.

 

Instead, the person who had fallen into her line of sight was Natasha, who was preparing to knock her best friend out cold.

 

The redhead’s bones ached after being hurled away from the archer she was sparring with and into the truck a few feet away. She winced in pain, her head falling back against the cool metal of the vehicle as she tried to regain her breath. Her gaze caught sight of the green bolt that soon knocked Rhodes into a jetway. She wasn’t even surprised that the kid had targeted her.

 

Natasha understood there was some tension between them, just like Ash understood that the assassin was loyal to the people who had issued a warrant for her arrest. It was neither of their faults, but it sure did make fighting a whole lot easier.

 

Ashley’s attention was quick to turn back to Bucky after that. She had tried desperately to locate Pietro, but either he was moving too fast for her to notice him, or he just wasn’t there to begin with. She felt panic race through her when the same man that had almost slashed her own throat a few days prior, struck out at Bucky’s. Ash had never been happier to see the red swirls of Wanda’s power than she was in that moment, when they wrapped around the man and launched him away from her old friend.

 

But he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

 

Pietro watched as his sister saved the man’s life, his anger hitting him full force. He’d never been one to wish a man dead, and he still wasn’t, but he really didn’t like him.

 

The elder Sokovian shot forward in a blur of blue, eager to expend some of the anger he held toward the man with the metal arm. With speed and an instinct Pietro hadn’t anticipated, The Soldier whipped around, a strong fist flying straight toward the Sokovian’s face. If he hadn’t been enhanced, there was no doubt that he would have been hit, and possibly even killed by the force of the cybernetic arm, but he _was_ enhanced. In a split second Pietro ducked his head, opting to tackle the assassin instead.  

 

The broad shoulder Bucky felt colliding with his gut was enough to temporarily wind him, and both he and his attacker were thrown to the ground from the strength of what could only be described as a football tackle. They rolled across the tarmac before coming to a disorientated halt.

 

Pietro shook his head lightly, rolling his shoulder back to ease the slight pain in it, before pulling himself up onto a knee and practically sneering at his rival. The former assassin had staggered to his feet and levelled him with blank glare that he was sure many people had seen before their untimely deaths.

 

Pulling himself onto his own feet, the youngster released a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come. No words were shared, they didn’t need to be. They both knew why they were fighting. Instead, they both charged forward like two bulls ready to lock horns, determination and anger flowing from them in waves. And yet, in the next moment, both were hurtling back through the air before landing in their own respective heaps with a grunt.

 

Pietro, now sprawled out on his back after landing with a ‘thump’, raised his head with a groan. His confused gaze met that of his opponent, who had adopted a similar position, and they both winced when they noticed the green glimmer of a forcefield dividing them.

 

“I don’t want to see it. Not between you two.” Ashley hissed as she approached them.

 

It was unusual to see so much anger on her face, or hear it in her tone, but they both seemed to deflate at her seriousness. She didn’t even want to accept the fact that the _others_ were fighting, yet alone the two she cared about most.

 

Red, as she had once called him, was a mentor and her oldest Terran friend…and perhaps in a different world, one without Pietro in it, he could have been more. He wasn’t that man anymore, that much she knew and she was happy for him. Then there was the Sokovian who had managed to worm his way under her skin after all of the hostility they had shared at the very beginning. She knew he was already in her heart, and _god_ had she missed him. But that didn’t mean she would sit there and watch the two of them hash it out for no reason!

 

Thankfully Steve chose to make his appearance, keeping everything calm for the moment. He was surprised to see her there, but shot her a relieved and welcoming smile.

 

Unlike the rest of the team, Ash had no idea what was being said through the ear-pieces, but judging from what Steve and Bucky were saying, she could tell things weren’t going to end well. Realising that she wasn’t going to get much information from the small snippets of discussion, she turned to look at the Sokovian who was staring at her with wide eyes.

 

Pietro shot to her side as soon as he snapped out of the daze he was in. For a moment he wondered if he had hit his head too hard, and now he was imagining things. But he knew he wasn’t the moment his hands came up to gently settle on her shoulders.

 

“You’re…you’re here.”

 

Ash cocked a brow, biting her bottom lip to keep from chuckling.

 

“I am.”

 

He huffed out a breathy laugh, uncharacteristically shy as he glanced down to the ground and released her shoulders, choosing instead to wring his hands together awkwardly. His strange behaviour didn’t go unnoticed, and she rested a hand on his forearm in a silent command to stop. Pietro’s wide, pale eyes shot up from the floor to look at her in question, his shoulders tense as he held his breath.

 

He didn’t know why he was acting so nervous. It was pathetic now that he thought about it, and if the frown on her face was anything to go by, he was starting to concern her too. So what? It had been almost a month since he had seen her, that didn’t mean anything had changed.

 

Or maybe it did. Maybe things _had_ changed in that month, and maybe his nervousness was justified. She had spent the entire time with a man that she had some sort of feelings for years ago, granted when he had asked her, she said that she didn’t love ‘Red’. But that was then, and this was now. What if…what if she-

 

“Hey? Are you okay?”

 

Remembering that he wasn’t breathing, the Sokovian took a deep breath, a entirely fake but reassuring look on his face as he replied.

 

“Me? Yes, I-I’m good.”

 

The look she shot him was full of disbelief, and she gave him a quick once over to make sure he wasn’t injured.

 

“You sure? You’re acting kinda weird…”

 

His lips opened and closed for a moment, trying to find a believable response.

 

“Just…worried about Wanda.”

 

Ashley looked like someone had just slapped her. They were in the middle of a fight! What the hell was she doing chatting away? _Of course_ he was worried, how stupid could she get?

 

“Oh my god, you’re right! We gotta go…”

 

She quickly made her way over to Bucky, knowing that he had his own plans to get back to. That much she could tell by the look on his face. The former assassin’s gaze softened when he saw her, he wished he had more time for a proper reunion (he was curious as to how she was even there in the first place), but they had to keep moving. Whatever softness his gaze held was swiftly wiped out as soon as he noticed Pietro hovering behind her.

 

“Hey, listen…I have to go help them out there, whatever it is you’re about to do, be smart about it.”

 

Bucky nodded hesitantly, torn between asking her to come with him, and asking her to run as far as she could. The last thing he wanted was to drag her to Siberia where a team of assassins more ruthless than anyone the world had ever seen before, were about to be awakened. But in all honesty, he didn’t really want her going to fight with the rest of the team either. As if knowing exactly what he was thinking, she shook her head impatiently and spoke up.

 

“It’s okay, do what you have to do…I’ll see you when this is all over, alright?”

 

He bit back his concerns when he met her reassuring gaze, and even though they both knew it _wasn’t_ okay, he hesitantly nodded.

 

“Yeah, just…” He sighed nervously, but forced a half-smile. “Just stay out of trouble.”

 

Ash rolled her eyes with a small smirk, giving him a mock salute as she turned to rejoin the main group who were _still_ giving each other hell.

 

Pietro moved to follow, but he was brought to an abrupt halt as soon as he felt an iron grip on his shoulder. He winced lightly, hearing the cybernetic arm whir as the assassin’s fingers dug into the bone painfully. With his jaw set and eyes hard, the Sokovian turned to face him.

 

Bucky wore a similar look on his face, his grip barely relenting even though he had caught the kid’s attention.

 

“If _anything_ happens to her-“ Pietro was quick to cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument.

 

“It _won’t_.”

 

“ **If it does** …” Bucky’s grip tightened further, but he couldn’t bring himself to enjoy the way the youngster flinched. “ _I’ll kill you myself._ ”

 

They shared a long look, both of them understanding that they had come to some sort of agreement. That Bucky was placing a portion of trust in Pietro to protect someone he cared about. It wouldn’t have been his first choice, but the only other person he would trust with her protection was Steve, and he wasn’t an option. The former assassin didn’t know the rest of them well enough, but he knew the kid had feelings for Ash. Even if he _hadn’t_ been taught to read people, he’d be able to see it from a mile away. He just hoped he liked her enough to do whatever it took.

 

When he finally decided he had made his point, Bucky removed his grip but didn’t stick around long enough to see the younger man rub his shoulder in discomfort.

 

* * *

 

Wanda watched as the Captain and his friend made a break for it, both sprinting as fast as they could while the others were preoccupied with the fact that Scott had grown to…monumental proportions.

 

Unfortunately while Stark and his friends were trying to avoid all of the vehicles being thrown their way, while simultaneously trying to take ‘Ant-Man’ down, Vision wasn’t easily fooled. The synthetic humanoid was quick to slice a control tower in half, sending the structure plummeting down toward the entrance of the hangar.

 

Funnily enough, it was Vision himself who had helped Wanda gain even more control of her powers in the weeks following the Lagos incident. Control which inevitably allowed her to suspend the falling debris long enough to allow Steve and Bucky safe passage.

 

Well…she _hoped_ it was safe passage.

 

She didn’t know what it was that Rhodes had done to her, but now she lay clutching her head in her furious brother’s arms for the third time since they had met the Avengers. Rhodes had found his suit rapidly powering down before he was roughly launched into a stack of crates.

 

Ash offered her friend a small smile, which ended up looking more like a grimace, the green receding from her eyes just as quickly as it had come.

 

“You okay?”

 

The Sokovian nodded, forcing a grateful smile onto her face. “I’m fine, thanks.”

 

Pietro let his sister go when she tried to sit up, a stormy look on his handsome face as he made to follow Rhodes’ trajectory. A hand pressed to his chest halted him, and he looked down at the woman it belonged to.

 

“We don’t have time for that right now…”

 

His brows furrowed and he followed her line of sight when she nodded toward something behind him. Wanda sighed in relief as she watched the quinjet shoot off into the sky. It was no longer up to them, it was in Steve’s hands now, and they could only hope that the super-soldiers could shake the men on their tail.

 

The world seemed to stand still for a moment when Colonel Rhodes was shot out of the air by a blast from Vision. Ash didn’t see what had distracted the humanoid to cause such lapse in focus, but she didn’t really care for the reason, not when the distant sound of sirens could be heard.

 

“We gotta get out of here.” The twins turned to look at her, blinking out of their shocked states.

 

Tony hadn’t been able to save his friend in time, and even though Ash felt slightly bad by using the situation to mask their escape, it seemed like the only possible time that wouldn’t result in their capture.

 

Wanda froze for a moment, looking back at the sight out in the field. Maybe it wasn’t fair, but she blamed this one on Tony. Had he not tried so hard to stop Steve from doing the _right_ thing, then maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation. The look on Vision’s face was one she knew well.

 

She had worn the same look in Lagos.

 

She knew how it felt, and she knew how important it was to have support. Vision had been her support, as had Pietro, and now as she sat watching the regret flood his features, she couldn’t help but want to support him in return. No matter which side they had fought for. They had all seemed to forget that there were some things more important than following orders. They had forgotten just _who_ they were fighting. Friends, and family.

 

“Go…”

 

Both Pietro and Ash looked at her with wide eyes, their heads snapping in her direction as soon as she had whispered the word.

 

“You have to leave, they want you.” Wanda returned Ashley’s bewildered gaze with a determined one of her own.

 

“Wanda-“

 

The elder woman completely ignored her as she muttered a string of what Ash could only assume was Sokovian, in her brother’s direction. Pietro looked torn for a moment, and his sister seemed to notice it.

 

“Pietro, _please_ …”

 

His eyes clamped shut as he released a defeated sigh, before they opened once again and he gave Wanda a nod.

 

Ash watched on in confusion, only understanding the situation when Pietro turned to her with an expression that said: ‘I’m definitely going to regret this later’. Her eyes widened in panic.

 

“Pietro, n-!”

 

They were gone in flash, Wanda’s hair fluttering for a moment as her brother shot past her. Despite the dread she felt when the armed vehicles turned up, and when she was cuffed and throw into her own respective one, she knew she had made the right decision.

 

* * *

 

_“And then when you’re ready, I’ll bring you some books.”_

_Gamora smiled as the 5 year-old’s eyes lit up. So far the woman had taken to bring her maps of foreign lands. It was easier to understand than a book, and she liked the carefully painted details. Not to mention that the girl would be needing them at some point, one day when she had her own missions to carry out. It was best to prepare her now._

_“Books about what?” Azlure asked excitedly._

_“Gods and golden kingdoms.”_

_Gamora’s lips tugged up at the edges when she heard the awed ‘_ **_oooooh!_ ** _’ at the mention of gold. Unfortunately her smile was quick to drop when they rounded the hallway corner and she recognised who stood a the end of it._

_“Nebi!” Azlure shot from Gamora’s side like a bullet, wrapping her sister’s legs up in a tight hug. She didn’t get to see the woman often, and much to Gamora’s dismay, the girl had quite the soft spot for her ‘sister’._

_Nebula’s onyx eyes softened in a way that was foreign to anyone who would have witnessed the spectacle. It had been a long time since the child had managed to pin her down. She had tried so hard to avoid young Azlure, unwilling to show the weakness that came with the child’s presence._

_It was hard enough watching her perfect sister parade the girl around like a proud parent, she wouldn’t subject herself to further humiliation by allowing her father’s minions to see her weakness when it came to the child. No, this was not the place for such things, and if she ever wanted to gain Thanos’ favour she would have to steel herself and remove all weaknesses._

_With that thought in mind, and her jaw clenched tighter than ever, Nebula roughly pushed the child away from her. Little Azlure stumbled to the ground, a look of fear and hurt covering her features when her big brown eyes looked up to her saviour. Nebula avoided her stare, fist clenched by her sides to refrain from helping the child back onto her feet. She wouldn’t get the chance to do so either way._

_“Nebula!”_

_Gamora rounded on the other woman with her lips pressed into a hard line, and a glare that had sent many running for the hills. The two held eye contact for a long moment, a silent battle raging before Gamora tore her gaze away to help the little girl back up._

_Azlure held onto her sister’s hand tightly, her bottom lip trembling slightly as she shied away behind Gamora’s legs. It was harder to witness the child’s fear than Nebula thought it would be. Fear directed at_ **_her_ ** _._

****

**_Don’t be scared, I would never hurt you…_ **

**_But you just did_ ** _, the voice inside her head reminded._

_Yes, she did._

_She had to…that didn’t mean she_ **_wanted_ ** _to._

_“She’s just a child, show some restraint.”_

_Her jaw tightened while Gamora all but snarled at her. No matter how much she despised her ‘sister’ Nebula was at least relieved that the woman cared for Azlure as any big sister should. It made ignoring the child easier, even if it hurt worse the more she did it._

****

**_She has someone to look after her, she doesn’t need me…_ **

* * *

 

It was funny how she had now met one of the very gods that Gamora had no doubt spoken of.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Ashley’s lashes fluttered as she came out of the memory, and she looked over to the concerned Sokovian. Her initial anger had passed a few hours ago, and now her head was working overtime to figure out what they were going to do next. Pietro had reassured her that they had a better chance of getting their friends out of prison like this, than they did if she too had waited around to be locked up. She reluctantly admitted that he was right.

 

After he had gotten them both out of there, they had made their way to one of the safe houses that Bucky had marked in one of his notebooks. _In case of emergency_ , was what the former assassin had told her, and even though she rolled her eyes at the time, it sure had come in handy now.

 

“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine.”

 

He sighed at the false smile she sent him, and made his way over to the bed she was laying on. Ash shuffled over slightly to give him enough room to sit down on the edge beside her. They stayed silent for a moment, before she felt Pietro’s warm hand clasp her own, and their fingers entwining in his lap.

 

“You know you can trust me…”

 

While his words held a degree of vulnerability -much like his tone- she could see the intensity in his pale eyes, reinforcing what she already knew. She did trust him. She trusted him more than she trusted anyone else, maybe even more than she trusted Bucky. Why? Because Pietro cared in a different kind of way. Her mind flashed back to that night when she had her first ‘reunion’ with the former assassin. The happiness she felt in that moment had overshadowed everything else on her mind, including the events that had transpired earlier in the day.

 

It was the same day Pietro had kissed her, and Ash knew that it was something that they would eventually need to talk about. She had almost forgotten about it entirely, after all of the crap that followed. Running from the authorities wasn’t easy when they had eyes and ears all over the planet, and she was just lucky that she had run into Bucky that night or she would have been detained a long time ago.

 

But she was getting off topic.

 

Pietro had completely disappeared that day, and she hadn’t taken the time to properly question the whole situation.

 

_Why did he do it?_

 

They were arguing, she hadn’t told him about Fury’s visit and he was concerned. It came out of nowhere, and then he disappeared into thin air. At the time, her head had been racing with thoughts, but now…

 

Looking at all of their interactions, from the first day they met -when they were less than friendly- to the day she saved his life in Nord, to that day on the quinjet on their way back from Greece, to the late nights and shared secrets…

 

Now the answer seemed obvious.

 

She didn’t know how to feel about that. Was it a good feeling? _Yes._ But how well did he really know her? Sure he knew ‘Ashley Conlon’, but is that who she was? Was she not significantly more than that? An individual formed from the combination of _two_ worlds. Who’s to say he’d like Azlure as much as he liked Ashley?

 

Azlure was _not_ a good person.

 

Should she tell him about her? If she did, who could guarantee that _he_ would trust _her_.

 

“I do trust you. But I need…” She trailed off into a whisper, her eyes looking away unblinkingly as she had what he could only assume was an internal debate.

 

“Ash?” He was worried, but she was scared.

 

What would he say? What would he think? Would he be angry that she hadn’t told him? Would he be freaked out in general?

 

“I-I…I need…I need to tell you something.”

 

She looked at him with wide glazed eyes that were pleading for something. What that something was, he had no idea. But he squeezed her hand in reassurance.

 

“Anything.”

 

She tried to smile weakly at his reply, but it looked too sad to be a smile.

 

“I need to tell you…who I am.”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty…well let me know how that went, but the next chapter will be very heavy with Astro content. I didn’t really think that proper reunions were possible during this chapter just because of all that happens. So you’ll see it next chapter instead :)
> 
>  
> 
> I just want to thank you guys for sticking with the story considering my horrendous updating patterns, I hope the next chapter will come a little quicker than the 47 years it took to get this one out! I do tend to have more fun writing when it’s not following a script, and I won’t deny that following it during this chapter kinda put me off of writing for a little while and that probably shows.
> 
> Thanks again for reading and I’m sorry for the ridiculously long wait, see ya soon!


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